Medical error statistics in the UAE

The federal Supreme Committee for Medical Liability received 378 appeals in 2025 and completed 447 cases, its chairman, Dr Abdul Razzaq Al Madani, told Emirates 24|7 in July 2026.¹

How many cases like yours reach the federal committee each year?

Between 319 and 651 appeals a year from 2021 to 2025. Appeals fell by about 42% from 651 in 2021 to 378 in 2025, while completed cases rose from 132 to 447.¹ Table 1 gives each year as the chairman stated it.¹

From 2023 the committee completed more cases each year than it received.¹

If your case is at this stage, read how to appeal a committee report.

What do these figures tell you?

How many appeals reach the federal committee against a first committee’s report. They are not a count of all medical complaints. The chairman explained that patients first complain to the health authority where they were treated, a local committee issues a first technical decision, and any party, whether patient, doctor or facility, may then appeal to the Supreme Committee.¹ The appeal figures can therefore include appeals by doctors and facilities.

A Chambers and Partners commentary said in August 2026 that there is no public reporting of the number of first complaints made by patients and their families.²

The chairman also said many complaints are not linked to proven medical errors but to known complications that can occur despite proper care.¹

If you want a count of first complaints for your emirate, ask its health authority.

Which specialties do the error figures warn you about?

Dentistry first, at 32%.¹ The chairman gave the shares in Table 2 for “the past year” and did not give the total they are shares of.¹

He linked the dental figure to general practitioners carrying out specialised procedures beyond their expertise, and to demand for cosmetic work such as veneers driven by social media.¹ He named three main causes of most errors: doctors working outside their expertise or without enough experience, smaller private clinics not prepared for complex cases or emergencies, and treatments recommended without clear need.¹

Before specialised dental or cosmetic work, check the practitioner’s licence category.

Does the AED 5,000 fee you pay to appeal reduce appeals?

The chairman said it did. He said the AED 5,000 fee for filing helped ensure seriousness and reduce unfounded cases, “cutting grievances by around half compared to earlier periods”.¹ In Abu Dhabi, DoH’s appeal page lists the fee as AED 5,000, paid through a link the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) sends by SMS.³

The law firm Galadari wrote that the fee was introduced by Cabinet Resolution No. 72 of 2022, and that as far as its author knew, no research had looked at whether the fee stopped appeals with merit.⁴

Budget for the fee when you decide whether to appeal, and check the current amount with your health authority.

Who decides your appeal?

A panel of consultants. The chairman said in July 2026 that the committee is an independent federal body affiliated with the Cabinet with around 20 consultants from different specialties.¹ Al Bayan reported in November 2025 that he put the number at 22 consultant doctors drawn from all the country’s health authorities.⁵

Each case goes to a specialist for analysis, with hearings where needed. A technical report then goes to the full committee for a final decision.¹ The chairman said the decisions are binding on the medical question, and that parties can still go to court, particularly for compensation.¹

File your appeal within 30 days of being notified of the first committee’s report.⁶

Which 2025 figure should you use?

The full-year figure, 378. A lower figure was counted part-way through the year. Al Bayan reported on 1 November 2025 that the committee had received 292 appeals so far in 2025.⁵ The full-year figure the chairman gave in July 2026 is 378.¹

Give the date a figure was counted to whenever you quote it.

The small print

A Chambers and Partners commentary on the same interview gives 477 completed cases for 2025.² The Emirates 24|7 report gives 447.¹

The Emirates 24|7 report calls the figures “complaints”. The chairman’s description of the process shows they are appeals to the Supreme Committee.¹ Al Bayan uses the Arabic word for grievances in its headline.⁵

Article 20 of Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2016 sets the 30-day grievance period, and Article 21 says the Higher Committee’s decision is final.⁶ Al Bayan reported the chairman as saying the committee issues a final reasoned report that cannot be challenged before any judicial body.⁵ Khaleej Times reported on 6 November 2024 that a Federal Supreme Court ruling of August 2024 allows the committee’s findings to be challenged in court.⁷

Al Bayan reported that the committee was set up by Cabinet Resolution No. 6 of 2012.⁵