Oasis Hospital

Oasis Hospital — now officially named Kanad Hospital — holds a uniquely significant place in the history of the United Arab Emirates as one of the country's oldest and most storied healthcare institutions. The hospital was founded on November 20, 1960, when American missionary physicians Dr. Pat Kennedy and his wife Marian Kennedy, accompanied by Maria Mayer, arrived in Al Ain at the personal invitation of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan — who would later become the founding father and first President of the UAE — and his brother Sheikh Shakhbut.

At the time of the hospital's founding, Al Ain faced a profound public health crisis. Infant and maternal mortality rates were dangerously high, and the population was declining due to endemic diseases including tuberculosis and malaria. There was no formal medical infrastructure in the region. The Kennedy family established Oasis Hospital as a charitable Christian mission hospital committed to providing free or low-cost care regardless of the patient's background, religion, or ability to pay — a founding principle of compassionate, non-discriminatory care that has defined the institution ever since.

Over the following six decades, Oasis Hospital grew from a small mission clinic into a modern medical facility offering specialist women's and children's healthcare. It is the oldest hospital in Al Ain and the second oldest in the United Arab Emirates. In a landmark moment of recognition, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (now UAE President) renamed the hospital Kanad Hospital in 2019 — the word 'Kanad' being the local Arabic dialect pronunciation of 'Kennedy' — to honour the founding family and perpetuate the institution's unique legacy of sacrificial, selfless service to the people of the UAE.

Kanad Hospital (formerly Oasis Hospital) has historically been and remains primarily a hospital for Women and Children in Al Ain. The hospital's founding mission directly addressed the catastrophically high maternal and infant mortality rates that Sheikh Zayed had pleaded for help to resolve, and that heritage of maternity-focused care continues to define the institution today.

Core specialty services include obstetrics and maternity care — encompassing antenatal consultations, high-risk pregnancy monitoring, labour and delivery, postnatal care, and lactation support. Gynaecological services cover routine assessment, management of common gynaecological conditions, and minor gynaecological procedures. Paediatric services provide inpatient and outpatient care for newborns through adolescents, including neonatology for at-risk newborns. General medical services for women include internal medicine, preventive health screenings, and community health outreach. Over its decades of operation, the hospital has delivered thousands of babies who have grown up to become part of the UAE's modern generation — a tangible measure of its impact on the nation's demographic future.

Kanad Hospital (Oasis Hospital) operates as a private non-profit hospital in Al Ain with capacity to handle both routine and moderately complex women's and children's healthcare. The hospital features a maternity ward with labour and delivery suites, neonatal care facilities for at-risk newborns, paediatric inpatient wards, gynaecology consultation and procedure rooms, and outpatient clinics serving the women and children of Al Ain and surrounding communities.

Diagnostic capabilities include obstetric ultrasound, general radiography, and a clinical laboratory serving the hospital's maternity, gynaecology, and paediatric departments. Pharmacy services and allied health support complement the clinical services. The hospital's Al Ain location — a verdant oasis city near the UAE-Oman border — means it serves not only Al Ain's population but also patients from the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi emirate and, in some cases, patients crossing the border from Oman.

Kanad Hospital (formerly Oasis Hospital) has always maintained a non-discriminatory admissions policy, serving patients of all nationalities, religions, and backgrounds — a principle established at the hospital's founding in 1960. Al Ain's geographic position near the Oman border and its status as a major inland city of Abu Dhabi emirate means the hospital serves a diverse population including Emirati nationals, South Asian expatriates, and patients from neighbouring Oman.

International patients travelling specifically to Al Ain for care at Kanad Hospital would find the city accessible from Abu Dhabi International Airport (approximately 1.5 hours by road) and from Dubai International Airport (approximately 1.5–2 hours). Al Ain is itself a UNESCO World Heritage city of significant cultural interest, making combined medical and cultural visits possible. The hospital's staff communicate in English, Arabic, and South Asian languages to serve its diverse community. Its non-profit status and founding ethos of accessible care make it a welcoming institution for patients from all backgrounds.

Kanad Hospital (formerly Oasis Hospital) operates as a private non-profit hospital regulated by the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH), which licenses and oversees all healthcare providers in Abu Dhabi emirate. As a hospital that has operated continuously since 1960 — now more than 65 years — the institution carries an unparalleled track record of sustained healthcare delivery in the UAE, predating the establishment of formal government health authorities.

The hospital operates in compliance with UAE federal Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) standards and Abu Dhabi DOH licensing requirements. Its status as a charitable non-profit institution and its unique historical legacy have ensured strong governmental support and recognition, culminating in the 2019 renaming by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in honour of the founding Kennedy family. Patients are advised to verify current accreditation status directly with the hospital, as accreditation arrangements for non-profit mission hospitals may differ from large private hospital networks.