ME-ALLIANCE LEGAL UPDATE
Executive Council Resolution No. (119) of 2026 Concerning the Transfer of Certain Competencies from the Department of Health to the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre
Executive Council Resolution No. (119) of 2026 was issued on 5 August 2026 to redistribute certain competencies and services between the Department of Health and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
The Resolution establishes three principal areas of transfer: birth-related services, death-related services, and competencies concerning the issuance of visa medical screening certificates, together with the associated rights, obligations, and contracts.
Transfer of Competencies Relating to Birth and Death Services
Clause (1) provides for the transfer of competencies relating to the provision of birth and death services, as specified under Chairman of the Executive Council Resolutions No. (22) of 2008 and No. (68) of 2008, from the Department of Health to the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
Accordingly, the operational and regulatory responsibilities associated with these services are transferred to the Centre, making it the competent authority responsible for their provision and the collection of the corresponding fees.
Birth-Related Services Covered by the Transfer
The schedule attached to the Resolution identifies the following birth-related services transferred to the Centre:
1. Birth Certificate – Additional Copy in Arabic.
2. Birth Certificate – Additional Copy in English.
3. Amendment of a Birth Certificate in English.
4. Amendment of a Birth Certificate in Arabic.
5. Replacement of a Lost Birth Certificate in Arabic.
6. Replacement of a Lost Birth Certificate in English.
7. Issuance of a Birth Certificate in English.
8. Issuance of a Birth Certificate in Arabic.
9. Issuance of an Age Estimation Certificate in Arabic.
10. Issuance of an Age Estimation Certificate in English.
This detailed enumeration demonstrates that the transfer is not limited to the issuance of original birth certificates but encompasses a comprehensive range of related services, including amendments, replacements, additional copies, and age estimation certificates.
Death-Related Services Covered by the Transfer
The transferred death-related services include:
1. Transportation of a Deceased Person’s Body for Burial.
2. Transportation of a Deceased Person’s Body for Cremation.
3. Transportation of a Deceased Person’s Body to Other Emirates.
4. Death Certificate – Additional Copy in Arabic.
5. Death Certificate – Additional Copy in English.
6. Amendment of Death Certificate Details.
7. Issuance of a Death Certificate.
8. Embalming and Repatriation of a Deceased Person’s Body Outside the State.
9. Transportation of a Deceased Person’s Body for Transfer Outside the State.
These provisions consolidate death-related services, including the transportation of deceased persons’ bodies and the issuance and amendment of death certificates, under the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
Transfer of Competencies Relating to Visa Medical Screening Certificates
Clause (2) transfers all competencies previously assigned to the Department of Health under Executive Council Resolution No. (162) of 2024 concerning Fees for Issuing Visa Medical Screening Certificates to the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
The service identified in the accompanying schedule concerns the issuance of medical screening certificates for persons entering the State for residence or employment purposes.
Accordingly, following the Resolution’s entry into force, the Centre becomes the competent authority responsible for this service.
Collection of Fees and Transfer of Rights and Obligations
Clause (3) provides that the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre shall collect the fees associated with the transferred services, thereby linking the transfer of competencies to the collection of the corresponding service revenues.
Clause (4) further provides that the Centre shall replace the Department of Health in respect of all rights, obligations, contracts, and agreements relating to the implementation of the Resolution.
According to the accompanying schedule, these include agreements concerning the operation of medical screening certificate issuance services with entities such as Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), Capital Health, and Burjeel Hospital.
Legal and Regulatory Implications of the Resolution
The Resolution represents a clear institutional consolidation of preventive and public health-related services under the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
Its legal significance extends beyond the transfer of administrative competencies to encompass the corresponding service fees, contractual arrangements, rights, and obligations.
This restructuring brings birth services, death services, and visa medical screening services under a single competent authority, thereby clarifying institutional responsibilities and reducing potential overlaps between the Department of Health and the Centre.
Furthermore, the Resolution empowers the Chairman of the Department of Health to issue the decisions necessary to implement the transfer, ensuring that the redistribution of competencies is supported by the required administrative and operational arrangements.
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