UAE Permits Healthcare Facilities to Apply for Sick Leave Certificates for Patients

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has updated its sick leave procedures, transferring the responsibility of submitting attestation requests from patients to licensed hospitals and clinics. Under the revised framework, eligible requests will transition automatically to approval without requiring separate applications. The simplified process applies to federal employees and local government staff in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.

Published November 5, 2026 Source: Emirates 24|7

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Issuing authority: Ministry of Health and Prevention
Jurisdiction: United Arab Emirates
Publication date: November 4, 2026
Stage: Final rule
Official source: news.google.com

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Patients in the UAE will no longer be required to initiate sick leave attestation applications on their own under an upgraded service introduced by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), according to Emirates 24|7.

Under the updated regulations, MoHAP-licensed healthcare facilities issuing sick leave certificates are now authorised to submit attestation requests directly on behalf of patients and their accompanying caregivers. The measure is designed to reduce paperwork and administrative burdens, enabling patients to focus on recovery.

The ministry stated that eligible applications meeting prescribed conditions will automatically advance from attestation to approval without the need to submit a separate request. The reform forms part of the UAE Government's Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme aimed at accelerating public service delivery.

The automatic integration of attestation and approval currently applies to federal government employees, as well as local government staff across the emirates of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah, subject to approved statutory controls.