Blood Test Labs Open on Friday and Saturday in the UAE

The UAE working week runs Sunday through Thursday, with Friday being the Islamic holy day. Most standalone labs and health centres either close for the full morning or operate reduced hours. Here is a breakdown by lab:

Al Borg Diagnostics: Friday 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM (some branches). Closed Friday morning. Thumbay Labs: Friday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (unusual — one of the few chains open Friday morning). This is because Thumbay Labs primarily serves Ajman and Northern Emirates where competition requires extended hours. Medsol Diagnostics: Friday 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Alpha Medical Laboratory: Open 24/7 including Fridays. Unilabs Dubai: Friday closed — not open. MenaLabs: Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. PureLab Abu Dhabi: Open 24/7 including Friday. DarDoc (home collection): Daily 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM including Fridays — book via the DarDoc app. Healthchecks360: Daily 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM including Fridays — book in advance.

Saturday is a full working day for virtually all UAE diagnostic labs. Expect the same hours as Sunday–Thursday at most chains:

Al Borg Diagnostics: Saturday 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM. Note: Saturday mornings (especially 8–10 AM) are the single busiest time of the week as patients freed from workweek commitments come in for fasting tests. Arrive at 7 AM to beat the queue. Thumbay Labs: Saturday 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM. Medsol Diagnostics: Saturday 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM. Alpha Medical Laboratory: Open 24/7 including Saturdays. Unilabs: Saturday 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM. MenaLabs: Saturday 7:30 AM – 8:00 PM. National Reference Laboratory (NRL, Abu Dhabi): Saturday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Note NRL is closed Sunday — different working week structure as a government-affiliated entity. PureLab (Abu Dhabi): 24/7 including Saturday.

If you need blood tests outside standard hours — late at night, early Friday morning, or on public holidays — your options are:

PureLab Abu Dhabi: The UAE's largest standalone lab at 70,000 sq ft processes samples 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including public holidays. Based in Abu Dhabi, it is the reference laboratory for Mubadala Health hospitals.

Hospital emergency departments: All major UAE hospitals (Rashid Hospital, Mediclinic, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, NMC) have 24-hour lab facilities for patients receiving emergency care. You cannot walk into a hospital lab for routine tests at 2 AM, but if you present to the emergency department, blood work can be drawn and processed overnight.

DarDoc (app-based home collection, Dubai and Abu Dhabi): Daily 7 AM–11 PM including Fridays and public holidays. For urgent collection outside these hours, contact DarDoc support — they occasionally accommodate urgent cases by arrangement.

Public holiday closures: UAE national holidays (Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, UAE National Day, New Year's Day, Prophet's Birthday) result in full-day closures at most private labs. Hospital labs and PureLab continue to operate.

If you need a fasting test and can only go on a Friday, you have two primary options: (1) Go to a lab open Friday morning, such as Thumbay Labs (9 AM) or Alpha Medical Laboratory (24/7, Al Barsha Heights Dubai). (2) Book a home collection with DarDoc or Healthchecks360 — Friday morning home collection is available, and you remain fasting at home until the nurse arrives (typically 7–10 AM slot).

For labs that only open Friday afternoon (2 PM onwards), fasting tests become impractical — most patients cannot fast until 2 PM comfortably, especially in the UAE heat. If this is your situation, schedule your fasting test for a Saturday morning or use a home collection service.

During Ramadan, Friday patterns shift significantly. Labs adjust hours to accommodate fasting Muslims — many open evening hours (8 PM–12 AM or later) when patients can come after breaking their fast. Blood draws during Ramadan fasting hours are technically possible for non-fasting patients; fasting Muslims typically wait until after iftar for non-mandatory tests.

UAE public holidays that affect lab availability in 2026: Eid Al Fitr (approximately late March 2026; dates shift annually based on the Islamic lunar calendar), Eid Al Adha (approximately early June 2026), UAE National Day (December 2–3), New Year's Day (January 1). Most labs close for 2–4 days around Eid holidays.

During Ramadan (approximately February–March 2026), standard UAE lab hours shift. Government health centres and hospital labs may operate reduced daytime hours (9 AM–2 PM) and add evening sessions (8 PM–12 AM). Private labs like Al Borg and Medsol similarly adjust hours — check their app or call ahead.

Home collection services during Ramadan: DarDoc and Healthchecks360 typically operate evening hours during Ramadan for fasting patients. Morning slots (7–9 AM) remain available for non-fasting tests. Blood draws during the fasting period are permissible for medical necessity according to most Islamic scholars and are commonly performed in UAE labs throughout Ramadan.