H.E. Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Policy and Licensing of the Ministry of Health and Vice Chairman of the Medical Licensing Committee, recently toured the Ministry’s various departments located in Cargo Village at Dubai Airports and Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) as well as the warehouse of Hellman Calipar Healthcare Logistics in JAFZA.  

The tour aimed to closely evaluate the work process within the departments and the job performance of their respective inspectors. It also falls in line with the Ministry’s objectives of enhancing its cooperation and coordination with various free zones in Dubai, while ensuring that the required procedures facilitating the entry of medical tools and medicines to the UAE are strictly followed.  During the visit, the Ministry studied the challenges facing each department, while at the same time receiving everyone’s commitment to follow the regulations and procedures on the importation, exportation and re-exportation of medical tools and medicines.

Addressing Anti-fraud and developing mechanisms to prevent drugs from entering country:

H.E. Al Amiri said: “The Ministry of Health is fully cooperating with the public and private sectors to ensure that existing procedures and standards are followed and that the smuggling of fake medicines and drugs are stopped. Free zones play a major role in properly facilitating the procedures as the use of medical supplies is very critical and time is very important in terms of keeping them safe and clean.”

H.E. affirmed the importance of working as one team and collaborating with different relevant organizations to prevent smuggling of fake medicines as well as illegal and substandard medical substances into the UAE. H.E. praised all parties involved and their role in fully supervising the importation and exportation of medical substances.

Support Airport with skilled resources for rapid clearance of medicine shipments and medical supplies:

The Ministry of Health has established a special department at the Cargo Village in Dubai Airports to facilitate the importing and exporting permissions of medicine and medical tools. The department checks closely the work process of the Ministry’s employees in the Village. The department coordinates closely and directly with Dubai Airports to support the importation and exportation systems and facilitate the procedures to be followed by all international healthcare companies. 

Officials from Dubai Airport emphasized its readiness to take all measures stipulated by the Ministry to ensure storage of medicines and medical supplies in compliance with the highest international standards. They also commended the Ministry’s pivotal role in ensuring safety and implementing key guidelines in the licensing and registration of imported medicines and their suitability for trade.

Visit to Jafza zone to inspect workflow:

The second stop of the tour was at JAFZA, where H.E. Dr. Al Amiri suggested increasing the number of employees and inspectors across highly busy and crowded ports. This will ensure faster entry and exit of medicines and medical equipment from and into the country.

In addition, H.E. Al Amiri held a meeting with Hellman Caliper Healthcare Logistics to discuss various means of reinforcing cooperation between both parties. He inspected the warehouses, logistics services related to the shipping and transfer of healthcare and medical products, cooling control systems and storage warehouse temperature control systems to ensure fast delivery of medications to patients.

Accompanying the Assistant Undersecretary were Dr. Shaikha Ali Al Owais, Head of Drug Import & Export Control Section, Department of Drug Control; Dr. Amal Al Awadi, Deputy Director of Registration, Department of Drug Control; and Dr. Alya Bin Hussein, Head of Medical and Health Products Control Section, Empowerment and Healthcare Compliance Department.

The strong cooperation between the Ministry of Health and UAE-based freezones throughout the past years have yielded in positive results, such as the seizure of violating drugs and medical products such as counterfeit, banned or unregistered stocks, which can negatively affect patients’ health.​