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Equitable access to specialised healthcare remains an important policy priority, particularly for individuals living with chronic conditions that require continuous treatment and monitoring. In the United Arab Emirates, access to disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis varies across geographic locations, healthcare providers, and insurance arrangements. This policy report examines these disparities through advanced geospatial analysis, highlighting how the concentration of specialised services in Dubai and Abu Dhabi creates additional challenges for patients in other emirates, particularly in accessing timely and sustained care.

Drawing on healthcare claims data, epidemiological research, and MBRSG Policy Council discussions, the report applies Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to assess healthcare accessibility, travel times, provider distribution, and insurance-related barriers. The findings identify significant geographic differences in access to specialised multiple sclerosis services, particularly in the Northern Emirates, alongside fragmented insurance coverage and the indirect financial burden associated with travelling for treatment. The report also examines the potential economic benefits of decentralised healthcare delivery, including satellite neurology clinics and telemedicine services, as approaches to improving access and reducing costs for patients and the healthcare system.

The report presents eight policy recommendations to strengthen equitable access to multiple sclerosis care across the UAE. These include establishing satellite specialist clinics in underserved areas, expanding telemedicine infrastructure, standardising insurance coverage for disease-modifying therapies, strengthening integrated care networks, and improving pharmaceutical distribution. It also recommends adopting a dynamic GIS-based healthcare accessibility index and accelerating the development of a national multiple sclerosis registry to support evidence-based planning and resource allocation. Together, these recommendations provide a framework for building a more accessible, integrated, and patient-centred healthcare system, while demonstrating the value of geospatial intelligence in informing health policy and improving service delivery.