Abu Dhabi: At a ceremony of celebrations held at the International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress (ISPAH), the Special Olympics UAE has granted the Unified Healthcare Provider status to 15 medical facilities in Abu Dhabi.
The 9 organizations that received awards finished specialized training provided by Special Olympics UAE for healthcare professionals and staff who care for People of Determination (PoD) with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD).
The healthcare institutions that received the unified healthcare provider status include;
- UE Medical
- Healthplus Networks
- Moorfields Eye Hospital Centre
- Healthpoint Hospital
- Danat Al Emarat Hospital
- SEHA – Al Towayya Children’s Specialty Centre
- SEHA – Al Mushrif Children’s Specialty Centre
- NMC Royal Khalifa City and
- NMC Royal

Medical appointments for People of Determination with intellectual and developmental disabilities can be concerning for parents or caregivers, the patient, and medical professionals. The Unified Healthcare Providers Program empowers medical staff with knowledge and evidence-based techniques, that can help them understand POD patients, and deliver compassionate healthcare, that is tailored to their specific needs.
Mr Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of Special Olympics UAE, observed.
The National Director of Special Olympics UAE further added that, “This program is in line with the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination 2020-2024 which was launched by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It contributes directly to the healthcare pillar of the strategy, which aims to enhance the availability and quality of medical services offered to POD.”
In hospitals and clinics, the Unified Healthcare Providers Program offers training to qualified medical teams and ancillary healthcare professionals. Medical and healthcare institutions must meet specific requirements in order to achieve the status, and staff members from various administrative and medical departments and specialties must attend a 9-hour training session and pass the final exams.

The award ceremony was held in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center at the International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress (ISPAH), which was staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in Abu Dhabi.
Mr. Mohamed Khalifa Al Nuaimi, the Director General of Executive and Financial Affairs at the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance and a member of the Special Olympics UAE Board of Trustees participated in the event.