Starting January 2025, genetic testing will become a required component of the premarital screening programme for UAE citizens intending to marry, according to Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi. This announcement was made during a keynote session at the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2024, where Dr. Al Ghaithi highlighted the significant progress of the UAE Genome Programme.
Launched in 2019 and strengthened by the establishment of the UAE Genome Council in 2021 under the leadership of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed, the programme aims to enhance national health by leveraging genetic data. “Genetic testing will be an essential part of the premarital examination programme for all citizens intending to marry across the country, starting in January 2025,” she emphasized.
Previously, while premarital medical checks were mandatory for both citizens and expats in the UAE, genetic testing was optional. In October, Abu Dhabi took the lead by incorporating genetic testing into its premarital screenings at 22 primary care centers spread across Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, and Al Ain.
Genetic testing is designed to detect more than 570 mutations linked to hereditary conditions such as cardiomyopathy, genetic epilepsy, spinal muscular atrophy, hearing loss, cystic fibrosis, and other severe, hard-to-treat diseases. The UAE Government’s premarital screening program already covers tests for infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and genetic conditions such as Beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia, in addition to Rubella.
The move is part of the UAE's continued efforts to safeguard public health and ensure healthier family planning, aiming to reduce the prevalence of hereditary diseases in future generations.
