Latifa Hospital has the largest neonatal and premature neonatal intensive care unit in the Northern Emirates and follows international standards in treatment. The hospital receives high-risk pregnancies and deliveries. The gynecological laparoscopic service received International accreditation as a Centre of Excellence.
Latifa Hospital, a 40,000-square-meter, 367-bed facility specializing in maternity and pediatrics, opened in 1986. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum gave the order to rename the hospital Latifa Hospital in honor of his late mother. This edict was issued on the 6th anniversary of his appointment as Ruler of Dubai.
The hospital was built by the Dubai-based Habtoor Leighton Group, which was granted a US$33 million contract. Construction began in 1986 and was finished in 1987. According to reports, the facility employs roughly 1300 healthcare practitioners and associated personnel. Latifa Hospital delivered between 6700 and 7800 babies each year in 2012.
The hospital provides laparoscopic surgery for gynecological, Ur gynecological, and neoplastic illnesses and has been designated as an international center of excellence. The hospital benefits from the existence of a modern and extensive critical care unit for newborns and preterm infants in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
The United Nations Children’s Fund designated the hospital as a baby-friendly medical institution in 2011. During a ceremony to commemorate the achievement, Qadhi Saeed Almurooshid, Director of the Dubai Health Authority, stated that the recognition was earned by the implementation of 10 criteria related to the 10 steps for successful breast-feeding in its baby-friendly initiative, which aimed to raise awareness among mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding.
Since 2007, Latifa Hospital has been recognized by the US Joint Commission on Quality and Safety Standards. UNICEF has awarded the hospital the “Baby Friendly Hospital” designation for its work in encouraging breastfeeding and implementing child-protection activities. It also received accreditation from the same source as a facility that supports a “Positive Child Birth Experience.”
In 2012, Latifa Hospital’s Department of Neonatal Care was presented with the Hamdan Award for an Outstanding Clinical Department in the Public Sector in the UAE.
