MoF discusses World Bank’s technical support in health insurance sector with federal and local government bodies

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) recently organized a meeting with federal and local government bodies in its Dubai office to discuss the technical support being offered by the World Bank in the field of health insurance. The meeting was the fourth initiative of its kind where MoF brought together World Bank and local government bodies on one platform.  The entities that participated in this meeting were Ministry of Health, Health Authority – Abu Dhabi, Health Authority – Dubai, Insurance Authority (Daman). 

Beginning with a welcome to the participants, MoF highlighted its efforts to enhance coordination with World Bank, which positively affects sustainable development endeavours around the UAE.

On the occasion, Mr. Ali Al Ghafiri, from International & Regional Financial Organizations Department  at MoF, gave a presentation to the participants highlighting the vital role that the World Bank plays in the health insurance sector and the supporting services that it can extend to the members states for the same. He also reviewed the World Bank delegations and visits that took place in the year 2011 in addition to shedding light on the action plan adopted by the ministry to coordinate with the federal and local entities in the UAE. In order to determine how the program of cooperation and technical support between World Bank, MoF and the federal ministries will further develop, the results of the agreements that MoF signed with the World Bank in 1994 were also analysed.   

Dr. Anas Pars, World Bank’s expert on the health insurance project gave a presentation about health insurance and its international practices. He also discussed how the participants in the UAE could benefit from World Bank’s expertise in the health insurance sector and the technical support it can provide. 

This meeting was another step from MoF to ensure that there is a smooth flow of communication between the federal entities and local bodies in the state along with the World Bank. Organized by the International & Regional Financial Organizations Department within the MoF, this meeting will also go a long way in maximizing the expertise and support that the World Bank can extend to the UAE, as a result of its partnership with MoF. 

This meeting provided an opportunity to the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with various governmental and private entities on the topic of health insurance, and to bring them up to speed with the current situation of the sector in the UAE. Along with the participants, MoF was able to discuss future plans for the growth of private health insurance schemes aided by the quality technical support that World Bank can provide for the health insurance sector in the UAE. 

The Ministry of Finance has held three previous meetings to discuss the technical support provided by the World Bank in the health insurance sector and related topics.