Mohammed bin Rashid issues Law on ‘Erada Center for Treatment and Rehab’

In his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued Law No. (5) of 2019 on the Erada Center for Treatment and Rehab, an organisation tasked with treating substance abuse and alcohol addiction and combating its negative psychological, economic, social and physical impact.

The Law will apply to all activities of the Erada Center for Treatment and Rehab, which was established under Law No. (5) of 2016 as a public entity annexed to The Executive Council of Dubai.

Accordingly, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, issued Executive Council Resolution No. (22) of 2019 appointing Abdulla Mohamed Falaknaz as Chairman and Director General of the Dubai Police Anti-Narcotics Department as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Erada Center for Treatment and Rehab. The Board is also composed of the CEO of Rashid Hospital, Abdullah Dhaen Obaid, Samirah Mohamed Al Rayes, Alia Hamad Al Marri, the CEO of Erada Center for Treatment and Rehab and a representative from the Dubai Community Development Authority and Dubai Public Prosecution. The Board serves for a renewable term of three years. The Resolution will be published in the Official Gazette and considered effective from the date of its publication.

The Erada Center for Treatment and Rehab is tasked with devising policies and strategies related to rehabilitation and treatment of addiction in collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority and related entities in Dubai, apart from providing best-in-class rehabilitation and treatment. It is also tasked with providing a comprehensive programme and a safe environment for addicts to recover and reintegrate with society in coordination with concerned authorities.

According to the Law, the organisational structure of the Center features a board of directors headed by a chairman and deputy chairman along with members appointed by the Chairman of The Executive Council for a renewable period of three years. The executive body of the Center is headed by the CEO. The CEO, who is appointed by the Chairman of The Executive Council, is in charge of the Center and is accountable to the board of directors for executing all the duties he is tasked with as per the Law.

The Center provides rehabilitation programmes to UAE nationals, and can also offer such services to non-citizens, in accordance with the term and conditions set by the council.

The Law also regulates processes of admission and discharge from the Center. Persons can be admitted for treatment as per the conditions set by the Center. Admissions can also be approved by the Public Prosecutor, or either the Center or the concerned judicial authority tasked with approving admission requests, subject to a notification sent to the Public Prosecutor. Addicts can also be admitted to the Center through a court ruling or a decision of the Attorney General of Dubai based on the request of the attorney.

The duration of admission should not exceed two years, and the person can be discharged in case of a court decision, and after taking the opinion of an attorney. According to the Law, the person seeking admission to the Center will not be subject to prosecution each time he wants to be admitted to the Center, except if he refuses to hand in the drugs he possesses, or doesn’t follow the Center’s treatment plan. In case a patient does not follow the treatment plan prescribed to him or is caught with drugs during the treatment and rehabilitation period, the Center should consult with the judicial authority and the public prosecution to decide on the course of action.

The person admitted to the Center has the right to receive medical and psychological treatment, as well as the right to privacy and to communicate with his family and inform them about his rights and duties. All data is considered confidential, and no board member or employees can review it unless there is a written approval by virtue of an order of the Dubai Public Prosecution, a court ruling, or a request from a government entity tasked with taking care of them after their discharge from the Center.

The Chairman of the Erada Center is tasked with issuing decisions required to implement the Law, following the approval of the board. The Law replaces Law No. (5) of 2016, and annuls any other text or legislation that contradicts this Law. The new Law is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.