Dubai health insurance plans now cover hepatitis C
Last month, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced the inclusion of hepatitis C screening and treatment coverage under all Dubai health insurance plans. This new Dubai health insurance initiative is expected to especially benefit those with basic coverage, and reduce late diagnosis of the disease. Read on to learn more about hepatitis C, the newly introduced mandatory health insurance benefit, and other recent changes to medical coverage in the Emirate.
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What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus; infection can lead to both chronic and acute hepatitis infection, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting only several weeks to a serious, lifelong condition.
Acute vs chronic hepatitis C
There are two forms of the disease, namely acute and chronic. Acute hepatitis C is characterized by short term infection, which people often carry for only several months. In many cases, people with acute hepatitis C will be asymptomatic. Those who are symptomatic will typically experience fatigue, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and vomiting.
According to Health Line, around 80 percent of those with acute hepatitis C develop the chronic version of the disease. Worryingly, up to 90 percent of the aforementioned 80 percent will develop severe liver damage. It is also estimated that around 20 percent will develop cirrhosis (i.e. severe scarring of the liver).
Most patients with chronic hepatitis C do not show symptoms until they have reached the disease’s later stages, and the liver begins to fail; at which point symptoms can include weakness, weight loss, blood clots, and sometimes jaundice (in people with advanced cirrhosis). Early diagnosis is thus critical in reducing complications.
How is the virus transmitted?
According to the WHO, the most common modes of infection are via:
- Improperly sterilized medical equipment
- Unsafe injection practices (e.g. sharing injection equipment)
- Unscreened blood and blood products
As a bloodborne virus, hepatitis C can also be transmitted sexually, as well as passed from an infected mother to her baby. These modes of transmission are less common than the ones mentioned above, however. It is worth noting here that as the virus is bloodborne, it cannot be spread through breast milk, food, water, or via casual physical contact (e.g. hugging and kissing).
Those at an increased risk of contracting the virus include:
- People born to mothers infected with the disease
- People with HIV infection
- People with tattoos/piercings
- People with hepatitis C infected sexual partners
- Recipients of blood products or medical procedures in facilities with inadequate hygiene practices
- People who inject drugs
Testing for hepatitis C
The only way to confirm infection is via a blood test, the most common being the antibody test, which determines whether you’ve been exposed to the hepatitis C virus by checking for the presence of antibodies to the virus inside your body. If your test is positive, it means that you have been infected at some stage.
However, a positive test doesn’t automatically confirm that you’re currently infected. The only way to tell if you currently have hepatitis C is to have a second blood test, namely a PCR test. This test will help determine whether the virus is reproducing inside the body.
Dubai health insurance plans and hepatitis C coverage
Hepatitis C is prevalent worldwide, but the most affected regions are Central Asia, East Asia, and North Africa. In Dubai, it is estimated that around 0.23 percent of the population have the disease. While strict rules remain in place for new visa applicants infected with hepatitis, Dubai residents can now access screening and treatment, even if they have the most basic medical coverage.
Commenting on the new addition to Dubai health insurance plans, his Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of the DHA, said: “Ninety-eight percent of the population in Dubai has the mandatory health insurance scheme and thus focusing on preventive medicine through this scheme ensures wide coverage and directly benefits the community. The program will especially help those with limited coverage, it will lead to early diagnosis and reduce complications and provide financial and emotional support to patients with Hepatitis C.”
Other enhancements to Dubai health insurance plans
In addition to hepatitis C coverage, the DHA also implemented several enhancements to mandatory Dubai health insurance plans in recent years. For example, in December 2017 Dubai became the first government body in the world to cover (in full) the screening and treatment of breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer.
Other enhancements to mandatory health insurance in Dubai include coverage for diabetes screening, heart disease screening, and newborn & developmental screening (BCG, Hepatitis B, and neo-natal tests). To learn more about mandatory health insurance, visit its dedicated page on our website here.
Of course, there are numerous Dubai health insurance plans that go above and beyond the Emirate’s minimum insurance requirements. Those with more robust employer-provided or private health insurance plans in Dubai will benefit from superior peace of mind and far more extensive benefits. Some of the most coveted features of comprehensive health insurance plans available from Pacific Prime Dubai include:
- International coverage
- Dental insurance benefits
- Vaccination coverage
- Optical treatment benefits
- Low/zero co-pays
- A wide range of preventative care benefits (e.g. yearly health check-ups)
- An extensive network of healthcare providers
- And many more
Get in touch with Pacific Prime Dubai today
If you have any healthcare or insurance-related questions, you’ve come to the right place! As Dubai’s insurance broker of choice, our team are on hand to answer all your questions, match you with the best Dubai health insurance plans for your needs, and give you a free quote. Contact us today.
When she's not typing away on her keyboard, she's reading poetry, fueling her insatiable wanderlust, getting her coffee fix, and perpetually browsing animal Instagram accounts.
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