The healthcare sector in the UAE is expected to see an uptick in public and private expenditure, along with fresh developments in integrating artificial intelligence into healthcare services, as per several announcements made at Arab Health 2024.

MORE SPENDING-

Healthcare spending in the UAE is expected to reach AED 126 bn by 2027, the majority of which (AED 104 bn) will be committed by the public sector, growing at a compound annual rate of 7.5%, the Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA) said in a report, according to a press release. Private sector expenditure, meanwhile, is forecasted to reach a CAGR of 8.8% by 2027, DHCA said. The press release does not provide further details on the anticipated expenditure trends.

REFRESHER- DHCA is the governing body of the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) freezone, which Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum established in 2002. Today, DHCC is home to 481 registered medical facilities, including 195 clinical facilities and 130 regional headquarters of global medical companies. The second phase of the freezone — which focuses on preventive care and wellness — has attracted AED 1.03 bn in investments since 2019, according to DHCA.

AI + NEW RESEARCH-

#1- Abu Dhabi launches healthcare research funding initiative: The Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH) and the Authority of Social Contribution (Ma’an) inked an MoU during the event that aims to secure funding for healthcare research and development in the Emirate, Wam reports. The initiative will rely on private sector and community contributions, focusing on key research and innovation efforts including cancer, rare diseases, infectious diseases, nervous system diseases, and drug discoveries.

#2- The Emirates Health Services (EHS) launched the Immersive Reality Laboratory for Mental Health, currently in a pilot phase at Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital in Dubai. Operating without a VR headset, the lab replicates real-life scenarios to aid therapists in evaluating anxiety and phobias, while offering patients immediate access to a personalized “safe space” if they get too stressed, Gulf News writes.

Who might benefit from it: The technology can help improve social skills for individuals with autism and also holds promise for the development of treatment in seniors, children, and those facing challenges like anxiety, internet addiction, and other behavioral issues.

#3- EHS is also bringing an AI-powered virtual nurse into the fold, whose database covers 10k diagnoses and symptoms, Wam reports. The virtual nurse can be accessed across platforms like the EHS app, website, and interactive kiosks at healthcare facilities and offers medical advice, responds to patient queries, and aids in assessments.

Patients could also have an easier time identifying their symptoms and getting appointments with the correct health specialists with the help of EHS’ new generative AI-based symptom diagnosis system, which EHS hopes will improve efficiency, according to Wam.

#4- Abu Dhabi-based M42 will establish a global life sciences platform using Microsoft’s Azure and biomedical platform Terra, in a bid to advance data science capabilities for genomic data integration, Wam reported separately. The collaboration will also see the International Center for Genetic Disease and Broad Institute of MIT contribute to the platform’s launch.

Tags: