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NUQAIM Holdings and The Medical Travel Company said in a press release that they signed a strategic partnership at Dusit Thani in Dubai on October 26, 2026, to build a dedicated medical travel corridor. The agreement positions the UAE as a destination for patients facing extended waits in the UK’s National Health Service, where the companies reported more than 8 million people are currently awaiting appointments or surgery. TMTC will oversee every stage of the patient journey, including initial consultations, visa arrangements, flights, accommodation, airport transfers and post-treatment coordination. The statement noted that procedures will take place in licensed UAE facilities and will cover specialties such as joint replacements, IVF, dental implants and complex interventions including robotic surgery.
The partnership announcement highlighted the UAE’s established credentials in medical tourism. Dubai ranked sixth worldwide on the Medical Tourism Index and received 691,478 international health tourists in 2023, according to the companies’ release. The UAE maintains roughly 5,800 licensed healthcare facilities and more than 69,400 private-sector professionals while leading globally in the number of accredited hospitals. A bioNixus assessment cited by Khaleej Times placed the overall UAE healthcare market at between $30 billion and $33 billion in 2026 with a trajectory toward $60 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate of 7 to 8 percent.
Dr. Shajir Gaffar, managing director of NUQAIM Holdings, said in the statement, “The UAE has built some of the most advanced healthcare infrastructure in the world, and patients from Europe, the GCC and Africa are increasingly choosing it. This partnership opens a trusted corridor from the UK and brings highly experienced world renowned and distinguished UAE Based specialists to manage these patients providing the highest internationally evidence based practices and care. Together, we are shaping a future where healthcare is accessible, efficient and compassionate.”
Ankit Mehrotra, co-founder of The Medical Travel Company, stated that patients in the United Kingdom endure long waiting lists ranging from months to years for crucial NHS surgeries. The resulting hardship drives many to seek treatment abroad in locations reachable by a short flight, he added in the release. The corridor will maintain contact with referring physicians in the UK and provide remote follow-up alongside nursing support during recovery, the companies stated. The collaboration will also draw senior consultants from India, the UK, the United States and the UAE to perform procedures within the emirates’ regulatory framework.
The initiative reflects the UAE’s shift from a net exporter of medical tourists to an importer of patients seeking high-quality care in a region known for hospitality and infrastructure, the press release said. All activities will adhere to licensing rules set by UAE health authorities. Officials from both organisations appeared at the signing alongside consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Samih Tarabichi, whose presence underscored the clinical expertise the partnership aims to harness.
