Abu Dhabi has set for itself the goal of becoming one of the leading healthcare destinations in the world, and its acceleration of digital transformation has been closely watched in the Middle East and Africa, along with the pandemic response of the Emirate.

The 10-year digital transformation strategy led by the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi is based on a patient-first approach, with the goal to provide the insights-driven and value-based care to deliver cutting-edge preventive, pervasive and personalized medicine to the nation.

Having already connected healthcare with the implementation of the health information exchange – Malaffi – the DOH is looking to consolidate healthcare data further, apply AI analytics to get advanced insights for decision-making and create an integrated platform that serves the entire sector, enabling an environment that spurs the development of innovative digital tools.

"As part of the action plan, over the past year, we have witnessed the signing of strategic partnerships between the Department of Health and pharmaceutical and research organizations that aim to generate innovative medications and clinical trials," Malaffi CEO Atif Al Braiki said. "The private start-ups sector has been supported and encouraged with many initiatives and accelerators of ingenuity and creativity."