The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has overhauled its sick leave attestation process, transferring responsibility for submitting attestation requests from individuals to licensed healthcare facilities.
The change, announced by MoHAP, means patients no longer need to initiate their own attestation submissions.
Under the new system, the facility that issued the sick leave certificate submits the attestation request directly. Where requests meet the required conditions, they proceed automatically to the approval stage without the patient needing to file a separate application, cutting a step that previously fell to the individual.
The changes also cover patient companion leave. Facilities can now submit attestation requests for companions alongside those for the patient, bringing both under the same process.
The automatic integration between attestation and approval applies to employees of the Federal Government and the local governments of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah, subject to approved controls.
Abdullah Ahli, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector at MoHAP, said the enhancements reflect a commitment to redesigning how services are delivered rather than simply digitising existing procedures. “Zero Bureaucracy is measured by tangible improvements in customer experience and government operational efficiency,” he said, adding that the Ministry aims to build a service model capable of completing transactions through interconnected processes supported by effective data exchange between entities.
The changes are framed as part of the UAE Government’s broader Zero Bureaucracy programme, which targets measurable reductions in administrative steps across public services.
