MoHAP urges the use of digital services for sick leave & medical reports

Sick days just got a whole lot smarter in the UAE. In a push to cut red tape and put power in people's hands, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is urging everyone — residents, workers, and healthcare providers alike — to switch to its digital system for issuing and attesting sick leave and medical reports. It's all part of the UAE's bold Zero Government Bureaucracy initiative, which aims to scrub away outdated processes and make services as smooth as a freshly paved road.

As Abdullah Ahli, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services Sector, put it: "We seek to eliminate procedural complexities and replace them with a streamlined, smart system that ensures fast attestation and the credibility of medical decisions."

How does it work?

Forget standing in line or filling out endless forms. With MoHAP's revamped digital platform, here's how the process flows:

• Log in using your UAE Pass via the MoHAP website or app.
• Upload your sick leave or medical report, whether from a public or private facility.
• Pay the fee online — no cash, no queues.

Here's the breakdown depending on the length of your sick leave:

• Up to 5 days: Instantly attested, no questions asked.
• More than 5 days: Reviewed by a medical committee; you'll hear back within one working day.
• Over a month: Needs the nod from the Supreme Medical Committee.

One catch: You've got just one month from the date of your sick leave to get it attested. And if your leave comes from abroad? You'll need a stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before MoHAP gets involved.

Why does it matter?

Time is precious — and MoHAP knows it. This move isn't just about convenience; it's about trust, speed, and making sure your paperwork reflects your reality. With everything digitized, there's less room for human error or shady practices. Plus, for employers, it means faster verification and fewer headaches.

As Amal Al Marzooqi, Director of the Customer Happiness Department, noted: "Our goal is to enhance customer confidence in the healthcare system while continuously improving the overall user experience."

In short:

• Services are transparent, traceable, and tamper-proof.
• Customers can handle everything on their phone or laptop.
• Approvals come fast, cutting the usual back-and-forth.

The context

This shift toward digital healthcare services is part of something bigger. The UAE is doubling down on its ambition to become a truly smart government — one that meets its citizens where they are, not the other way around. MoHAP's digital sick leave attestation is just one piece of the puzzle in a wider strategy that sees the public not as passive recipients, but active partners.

"The Ministry operates under a forward-looking strategy that views the customer as a key partner in service development," concluded Ahli.