The UAE's Ministry of Health has approved the construction of five new private hospitals to be built over the next two years, according to officials quoted in the local Gulf News. Two will be located in Abu Dhabi, two in Sharjah, and one in Al Ain. 'We are encouraging the private sector to establish new services and hospitals throughout the country to upgrade the overall standard of healthcare,' said Ibrahim Ali al-Qadi, director of the ministry's private medical practice department. He said that the need for greater private involvement in the healthcare sector was created by the rapidly increasing population and the consequent burden on government hospitals. Private hospitals also stimulated competition, and had more scope to specialise in certain services. Al-Qadi said that details of the new hospitals, such as exact location and the type of services that would be offered, had yet to be finalised. 'The investors have submitted their applications and have been licensed to construct,' he said. 'This is only a primary approval and the investors are working on fulfilling the requirements.'