Dubai Creative Clusters Authority (DCCA), a government regulatory body mandated to foster the economic development of Dubai's creative clusters and related knowledge industries, has signed a partnership agreement with the Ministry of Health and Prevention to support the healthcare sector and advance the pharmaceuticals industry.

As per the deal, DCCA will work on enhancing the pharmaceuticals industry, a vital sector with a market size exceeding Dh11 billion in the UAE, by providing a stimulating environment for industry professionals and helping them grow their businesses.

It will help strengthen mutual co-operation in terms of developing licensing procedures and registering plants located in areas under DCCA’s jurisdiction to allow them to operate more efficiently, stated Dr Amin Hussein Al Amiri, the assistant under-secretary for Public Policy and Licensing of the Ministry of Health and Prevention, after signing the agreement with Ahmad bin Bayat, the director-general of DCCA.

The deal is aimed at developing mechanisms of collaboration and coordination towards advancing the pharmaceuticals industry and products as well as medical equipment in Dubai and the UAE.

In addition, the agreement stipulates that both parties execute UAE legislation pertaining to registering plants of pharmaceutical products and medical equipment, as well as to cooperate on overcoming challenges facing plants and investors, he stated.

Dr Al Amiri said, "We are committed to our leadership’s directives that seek to elevate the healthcare sector and achieve the UAE Vision 2021 in terms of making the country one of the best globally in the quality of healthcare services. As part of our efforts to cooperate with many vital partners, our new partnership with DCCA will further boost the progress of the UAE healthcare sector."

He pointed out that the UAE had become an attractive destination for global pharmaceuticals and medical equipment companies, with the number of plants now at 16, in addition to 18 more still awaiting initial approval, raising the total number of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment plants to 34 by 2020.

Over 1,000 new and existing pharmaceutical products are made in the UAE, he said.

Bin Bayat pointed out that signing the agreement with the ministry was a very important addition to DCCA’s efforts to develop the pharmaceuticals industry.

"We are exerting all necessary efforts to help develop this sector by providing infrastructure and ensuring a suitable environment that attracts investments and experts to innovate and create, leading eventually to building our capacities in terms of pharmaceuticals production, research and development in Dubai and the UAE at large," he added.-TradeArabia News Service