The Ministry of Health and Prevention has signed agreements with two pharmaceutical companies — AstraZeneca and Bayer — to provide free medicines to patients with critical illnesses for a year.
People with breast, ovarian and lung cancer, treated with AstraZeneca medicines, and patients with macular degeneration, impaired vision, liver cell carcinoma, differential thyroid cancer and advanced kidney cancer, treated with Bayer medicines, will benefit from the programme.

Dr Amin Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Policy and Licensing Sector at the ministry, said that the two memoranda of understanding fall under Year of Zayed initiatives.
“The programmes are in line with the policy of the ministry and its keenness to provide appropriate treatments for patients in line with UAE Vision 2021, which aims to implement a health system based on the highest international standards,” Al Amiri said.
Through the initiative, patients will be able to obtain certain AstraZeneca medicines which are prescribed by caregivers. The number of packages they receive will depend on the patient’s financial capabilities and adherence to treatment plans as prescribed by a physician.