Rheumatic Diseases in the United Arab Emirates

Rheumatic diseases represent a growing global health concern due to their increasing prevalence and substantial impact on health and economic systems. Easy access to rheumatology care can expedite the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions and help reduce disparities. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there has been sustained investment in health infrastructure to meet the population’s healthcare needs. However, policy development, workforce planning, and service delivery are often hampered by many challenges, such as shortages of physicians and nurses, skill imbalances, maldistribution, limited budget, and gaps in education and research. This chapter presents a narrative review supported by data collected from multiple sources that sheds light on the rheumatology landscape in the UAE. We describe the disease burden, service availability, education and training pathways, research activity, and key opportunities and challenges. Recent policy initiatives signal a strong governmental commitment to strengthening subspecialty capacity and improving the organization and quality of rheumatology care.