Al Noor Hospital to close after 40 years; 'will be a loss' for Abu Dhabi residents

Khaleej Times

7 hours ago

Mediclinic will shut down its city centre branch, known as Al Noor Hospital, and consolidate services at its expanding Airport Road facility in Abu Dhabi, which is undergoing a Dh120-million upgrade. In the heart of a bustling street, Al Noor Hospital has served the community for nearly four decades.
The decision marks the end of an era for one of Abu Dhabi's oldest private hospitals, which has operated in the heart of the capital since 1985. While the move is part of a broader plan to centralise operations, long-time residents say they will miss the familiarity and convenience the landmark hospital has long provided.
Rawan Batnji, who lives in the vicinity of the hospital, said, "It's sad how everything old around us is shutting down. I wasn't expecting Al Noor to go, it's always been there."
The 35-year-old Palestinian housewife has been living in Al Noor Hospital's neighbourhood since 2007, she said while the hospital's guests and valet were causing a lot of congestion in the area, she feels sad to see it leave.
'Even though I lived across the street from it, I used to often go to the Airport Road branch to avoid the hassle of getting through the crowds and elevator at Al Noor," she explained. 'However, since Mediclinic took over and expanded it, taking over the adjacent building, it became more organised and less hectic to go there.'
Airport Road expansion
The closure, which will take effect once the expansion of Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital is complete, reflects the group's long-term strategy to offer more integrated and specialised care under one roof, according to Hein van Eck, Chief Business Officer of Mediclinic Middle East.
"This decision is not about cost-saving," van Eck told Khaleej Times. "It's about consolidating services in a larger, more modern facility that can better serve our patients and attract top clinical talent."
Asked whether building limitations at the city branch influenced the decision, van Eck acknowledged that the current location 'has constraints', but said the move was driven primarily by clinical considerations and future growth plans. "It's not just about the physical space," he said, "we're looking at how we can optimise patient pathways, improve efficiency, and expand our offerings, particularly in specialised areas like women's health and complex surgeries."
The Airport Road expansion, with a capital outlay of Dh120 million, will add four floors to the existing hospital, significantly increasing its capacity. The upgraded facility will include enhanced maternity and neonatal services, as well as new operating theatres, medical oncology units, and outpatient departments.
Transport support for patients
Located inside a residential building in the heart of a busy street at the heart of the capital's city centre, Al Noor Hospital's location is hardly ideal for a major medical facility.
"We were shocked when we moved to Abu Dhabi in 1996 and found a hospital so ill-placed inside a residential building on a busy street," said Shadia Abu El Faraj, a Syrian housewife.
"Nonetheless, the hospital had some of Abu Dhabi's top doctors, and it's close to where we live, so I am used to going there for medical care," added the 69-year-old. "Even though I drive and I live close to the highway that takes me to the Airport Road branch, I still prefer to go to Al Noor; it will be a loss to the residents of the area," she concluded.
"Patients from the city centre will still have easy access to our services," van Eck said. "We're making arrangements to ensure a smooth transition, including transport support for those who need it."
The CEO confirmed that while a majority of staff, around two-thirds, will be transferred to the Airport Road facility or other Mediclinic clinics across Abu Dhabi, the group is doing everything possible to minimise the impact on employees.
"After the patient safety and the patient continuity, our staff and how we handle our staff was the most important thing for us," he said. "There will be people impacted, but we've been holding back appointments across Mediclinic Middle East, also in Al Ain, the Western Region, and Dubai. Quite a number, around 170, positions are open, and we want to give our people the priority for those positions."
He also noted that even non-clinical contracted staff such as catering, valet, and security teams have been considered in the transition process. "Those are contracted-out services, but we still see those people as part of our family," he said. "We've been engaging with those companies, and those companies have been fantastic, saying that they'd be able to absorb the people."
Mediclinic is also supporting affected staff through financial packages beyond legal requirements, in addition to job-seeking support. "We worked out packages for people that acknowledge the fact that they have years of service," van Eck said. "Even on the financial side, we're supporting them… we've put in place CV writing, LinkedIn profile support, reference letters from management; we're really trying to look after our people."
In terms of medical continuity, he assured patients with insurance plans not covered at the Airport Road facility that they would be supported. "If there are patients that can't be treated by us because of insurance limitations, we will even refer them to the competition, just to make sure their treatment is uninterrupted," he said.
Mediclinic confirmed that a transition phase will begin next week, with detailed planning and staff engagement. Van Eck said many of the hospital's medical teams had already been collaborating across both branches in preparation for the shift. "Our orthopaedic teams, for example, have been working together for over a year across both sites, so this will help make it a more seamless move."
So far, the response from the city branch's most prominent doctors has been encouraging. "All the big-name doctors that I've spoken to have been very positive," he said. "They understand that they are leaders and that the community and the rest of the staff look up to them. They've shown leadership and positivity, saying that although they love Al Noor, they're part of the Mediclinic family and want to help make this work."