Public Diagnostic Pathway (DHA / SEHA / EHS)
Offered by Emirates Health Services (EHS) / Dubai Health (DHA) / SEHA — depending on emirate
The free or low-cost public-hospital route to obtaining an autism diagnosis through GP → paediatrician → specialist, in any UAE emirate. Produces the formal diagnostic report needed for the POD card, school, and insurance claims.
<p></p><p>Every UAE emirate has a government health provider that can diagnose autism through its public hospitals and clinics, typically at much lower cost than private centres. This is the route most local families and many expat families on tighter budgets use.</p><p>
</p><h3>Who runs it in each emirate</h3><ul><li><p><strong>Dubai</strong> — Dubai Health / Dubai Health Authority (DHA): <a target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.dha.gov.ae/">dha.gov.ae</a></p></li><li><p><strong>Abu Dhabi & Al Ain</strong> — SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Services Company): <a target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.seha.ae/">seha.ae</a></p></li><li><p><strong>Sharjah and the northern emirates</strong> — Emirates Health Services (EHS): <a target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ehs.gov.ae/">ehs.gov.ae</a></p></li></ul><p>
</p><h3>The typical pathway</h3><ol><li><p><strong>Visit a government primary health centre</strong> and request a paediatric referral. Concerns about social communication, language delay, repetitive behaviour, or sensory differences are all valid reasons.</p></li><li><p><strong>See the paediatrician</strong>, who will review developmental history and may run initial screening tools. If autism is suspected, they refer you on.</p></li><li><p><strong>See a psychiatrist, psychologist, or developmental paediatrician</strong> for the formal diagnostic assessment. For autism, this is the specialist who will complete the diagnosis using standardised tools.</p></li><li><p><strong>Request the written diagnostic report</strong> at the end. <em>It is not issued automatically</em> — you must ask for it, and there is a separate (modest) fee for the report. This report is what the People of Determination card application, schools, and insurers will all ask for.</p></li></ol><p>
</p><h3>What it costs</h3><ul><li><p>For <strong>UAE nationals</strong>: typically free under Thiqa (Abu Dhabi) or the equivalent national-citizen coverage in your emirate.</p></li><li><p>For <strong>residents</strong>: consultation fees and the report fee apply, but at significantly lower rates than private clinics. Some costs may be reimbursed by your insurer (see the insurance entry).</p></li></ul><p>
</p><h3>Practical tips</h3><ul><li><p>Waiting times for specialist appointments can be longer than in private centres — plan ahead.</p></li><li><p>If you already have therapy or nursery observations, bring them. They help the specialist build a fuller picture and can shorten assessment.</p></li><li><p>Ask the paediatrician for a referral letter that explicitly mentions <em>"for autism assessment and diagnostic report"</em> — this routes you faster.</p></li></ul>