The Department of Health (DOH) in Abu Dhabi has closed four healthcare facilities for illegally issuing fake sick leave certificates in exchange for money.
According to the DOH, these clinics gave out sick notes to people who never visited the centers for a medical check-up.
Investigations showed that the clinics used WhatsApp to communicate with people, asking them to send their ID, height, and weight. After that, they were asked to send AED 100 per sick day to a bank account, and the clinics issued sick leave certificates without any real check-ups.
The certificates were falsely recorded in the medical records of the clinics, complete with fake consent signatures.
The Department of Health said the four clinics were working together and had designated middlemen who handled the process of getting and sending out these fake sick leaves.
Due to the serious nature of this crime, the Department shut down the clinics and started the process of referring all staff involved to the Public Prosecution, which is the legal office in charge of handling criminal cases in the UAE.
The Department also reminded all medical providers in Abu Dhabi to follow proper rules and ensure honest services to protect the public and maintain trust in the healthcare system.
