The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, has unveiled a new value-based healthcare initiative under its Rewarding Exceptional Quality programme. The initiative is designed to incentivise healthcare providers based on the quality of care delivered, beginning with fertility services and expanding to other clinical areas in future phases.

By linking incentives to clinical performance, patient outcomes, safety, and experience, the programme reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a global healthcare destination. Under the scheme, providers offering fertility services will be evaluated against defined benchmarks, with those achieving superior performance rewarded with additional incentives.

H.E. Dr Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said:
“At the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, we are committed to raising the bar for healthcare quality in Abu Dhabi. The launch of the Rewarding Exceptional Quality programme reflects our ambition to drive meaningful improvements in clinical performance while rewarding providers that go above and beyond in delivering safe, effective, and patient-centred care.”

She added that fertility services were chosen as the starting point due to their strategic importance and impact on families, noting Abu Dhabi’s strong progress in advancing reproductive medicine.

The emirate has emerged as a hub for fertility care, with innovation in egg freezing, in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), and embryo transfer. Earlier this year, DoH reported IVF success rates of more than 51%—among the highest worldwide—with over 6,180 IVF cycles completed in 2024.

Today, Abu Dhabi is home to 14 advanced fertility centres and over 2,800 healthcare professionals in obstetrics and gynecology, including 700 specialists and consultants, 375 midwives, and 45 facilities dedicated to women’s health.