Sajila Saseendran

28 April 2010 - Khaleej Times
 

DUBAI — Expatriates wanting to undergo medical fitness tests for getting new and renewing residence visas in Dubai can avail both the medical and immigration services under one roof with the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department opening a branch office in Dubai Municipality Clinic in Deira 
on Tuesday.

Director of DNRD Major-General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri and Director-General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah inaugurated the DNRD branch in the DM Clinic that daily serves around 2,000 customers for medical fitness test services.

Speaking to Khaleej Times after the inauguration, Director of Public Health Services at DM Dr Zohoor Al Sabbagh said applicants approaching the clinic for medical fitness tests for visas would be able to get their results electronically transferred to the DNRD database from June 1.

“We already have an electronic link with the DNRD. But, the online transfer of fitness test results was not being done effectively because of some technical glitches. We hope to solve those problems and launch the e-service with the DNRD from June 1,” she said.

Other medical fitness centres in Dubai, regulated by the Dubai Health Authority, are already electronically linked to the DNRD database. The e-transfer of medical reports reduces time for the procedures as applicants do not have to visit medical fitness centres for collecting test reports.

Dr Sabbagh said her department was trying to further reduce the time spent by applicants by allowing them to upload their pictures and collect the receipts for the tests they need to undergo either from the typing centres or through company PROs.

“Currently, once the applicant gets his/her typed application to us, our staff take the picture and upload it on the system. Then the system generates the receipt carrying the picture and details of tests and payment. From June, this procedure will not be conducted here. Instead, this can be done by companies or typing centres. That will help save a lot of time for applicants at the clinic. They can directly go for the tests,” she explained.

However, Dr Sabbagh clarified that the applicants for occupational health cards will have to visit the DM Clinic for collecting their cards issued to prove that they are fit to work in certain jobs for which such cards are mandatory.

People in the commercial areas of Deira are expected to benefit from the services offered at the DNRD branch at DM Clinic.

Apart from the general counters, the branch has a ladies-only counter and an exclusive counter for DM staff