DHA publishes its own estimate of where Dubai has too many consultation rooms and where it will run short. Read it before you look at a single unit.
The Dubai Clinical Services Capacity Plan is DHA's study of healthcare supply and demand across the emirate. It splits Dubai into nine geographic sectors and is written to guide investors and providers. On its medium scenario, Dubai's population grows from 3.5 million in 2022 to 4.8 million by 2033.
Its headline for outpatient care is blunt. Dubai had 7,901 consultation rooms in 2022, and DHA calls it well served, with an oversupply until 2030 and a gap appearing by 2033. So a new clinic is rarely filling an empty market. It has to pick the right place and the right specialty.
The figures rest on a 2022 supply survey and DHA's demand estimate, and areas have changed since. Use them to shortlist, not to decide.
| Sector | Position on DHA's map | All rooms, 2022 | In clinics and centres | Projected gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 1 | North coast, next to Sharjah | 852 | 553 | Short by 67 in 2025 and 374 in 2033 |
| Sector 2 | Inland from sector 1 | 1,144 | 685 | Surplus |
| Sector 3 | Central coast | 4,942 | 3,686 | Large surplus |
| Sector 4 | Narrow central band | 199 | 199 | Surplus |
| Sector 5 | South-west coast | 206 | 178 | Short by 136 in 2022, 422 in 2025 and 630 in 2033 |
| Sector 6 | Inland from sector 3 | 435 | 435 | Surplus |
| Sector 7 | Inland, east | 9 | 9 | Short by 10 in 2025 and 16 in 2033 |
| Sector 8 | Inland, south-east | 107 | 7 | Surplus |
| Sector 9 | Far inland, south | 8 | 8 | Short by 8 in 2025 and 13 in 2033 |
Sector 3 is crowded. It held 4,942 of Dubai's 7,901 rooms in 2022 and stays in surplus through 2033. Opening there means taking patients from someone, so you need a clear reason to be chosen.
Sector 5 is the largest shortage. DHA says the significant bulk of the gap falls there, followed by sector 1. These are the first two to look at if access is your main argument.
Small numbers need care. Sectors 7 and 9 show gaps of 16 and 13 rooms. Those are small because the plan expects few people there, not because they are easy wins. A gap of that size can close with one or two new facilities.
A shortage shows unmet need across a whole sector. It does not say that your street has patients, that they can reach you, or that a suitable unit exists. Those are the next tests.
DHA reports a significant oversupply in adult clinic rooms overall, alongside real gaps in particular specialties. The same plan can make your idea look wise or crowded, depending on what you offer.
| Specialty | Rooms, 2022 | Gap 2025 | Gap 2030 | Gap 2033 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largest projected shortages | ||||
| Paediatrics | 468 | -31 | -183 | -274 |
| Respiratory medicine | 42 | -139 | -203 | -241 |
| General medicine | 821 | 225 | -49 | -213 |
| Endocrinology | 143 | -64 | -143 | -190 |
| Gastroenterology | 122 | -50 | -134 | -184 |
| Neurology | 89 | -102 | -143 | -168 |
| Largest projected surpluses | ||||
| Plastic surgery | 346 | 315 | 309 | 305 |
| Allied health | 559 | 264 | 196 | 155 |
| General surgery | 219 | 128 | 97 | 78 |
| Ophthalmology | 236 | 146 | 96 | 66 |
| Obstetrics | 371 | 192 | 109 | 59 |
| ENT, head and neck | 226 | 110 | 77 | 57 |
A minus sign means fewer rooms than the projected demand. These are citywide figures from the plan's Table 14. A surplus does not make a specialty impossible, but it should make you ask exactly where your patients will come from.
This part is our view, not a DHA rule. Before you commit to an area, answer these yourself:
Your address also decides your regulator. Mainland Dubai falls under DHA, while Dubai Healthcare City has its own free zone regulator. This site uses DHA's published rules, so confirm which applies before you plan around any of them.
Once you have an area, the next question is the unit itself. Our guide to choosing clinic premises covers what to test before you sign. HealthcareSetup UAE also has a step-by-step guide on how to open a clinic in Dubai, and Pharmareg UAE handles DHA licensing.
On DHA's capacity plan, the largest projected shortage of consultation rooms is in sector 5, followed by sector 1. The plan works in sectors, not neighbourhoods, and rests on 2022 data, so test any specific area yourself.
DHA describes Dubai as well served with outpatient consultation rooms, with an oversupply until 2030 and a gap appearing by 2033. It also reports gaps in particular specialties and sectors, so the answer depends on what you offer and where.
The largest projected gaps by 2033 are in paediatrics, respiratory medicine, general medicine, endocrinology, gastroenterology and neurology, according to Table 14 of the plan.
This plan is a guide to capacity, not a list of banned areas. Check with DHA for any current restrictions on your service or location before you commit.
HealthcareSetup UAE handles premises as part of a clinic build, and Pharmareg UAE handles DHA licensing. Both are brands of the same company and publish this guide.
Company formation, DHA licensing, premises and layout approval, the clinical team and systems, run as one project and handed over ready for the first patient.
healthcaresetup.ae ↗Regulatory affairs in the UAE: DHA facility and professional licensing, NABIDH, inspection readiness, and pharmaceutical and medical device registration.
pharmareguae.com ↗