Abu Dhabi authorities closed down four medical centres that were issuing false sick leave certificates and making fraudulent claims on behalf of their patients. The drastic infractions came to light when it was discovered that these clinics were issuing medical certificates over WhatsApp without actual consultations or proper patient files.
The Department of Health verified that the clinics not only were skirting proper medical protocols but also forging documents to trick insurance providers, resulting in substantial financial losses for the health system. The scams were allegedly rampant, with some certificates written for up to a week off—without patients ever entering a clinic.
These operations created alarm over the use of electronic communication tools to enable healthcare fraud. Issuing imposter records from afar, these facilities allowed people to abuse insurance coverage and fraudulently take time off from work, further straining the healthcare validation system.
The authorities have emphasized zero tolerance for such unethical tactics and warned that legal proceedings will be taken against the perpetrators. They also asked the public to inform them of suspicious activity and refrain from patronizing centers that provide shortcuts at the expense of public health integrity.
