The UAE plans to focus on three key areas to break new ground and set standards in global health.
The country's innovative and proactive approach towards AI, genomics and health literacy was on display at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Healthcare Week.
The remarks by some of the country's leading health experts are timely, particularly with global demographic shifts such as ageing populations and lower birth rates, and the rise of chronic diseases including obesity.
We must ensure that everyone has a basic understanding of health and healthy living
Dr Ahmed Al Khazraji,
acting director general of Abu Dhabi’s Public Health Centre
"We are pioneering an integrated, proactive approach to health that we hope will become a blueprint for the world," Dr Ahmed Al Khazraji, acting director general of Abu Dhabi’s Public Health Centre, told The National.
"The transition from healthcare to health is an interdisciplinary effort, and we are committed to leading this change.
“We’re seeing rising obesity rates and increasing cancer rates, which are forecast to climb even higher. Consequently, mortality rates from these diseases are expected to rise. This makes it a critical call to action for us.
"Prevention is a key focus. We want to prevent the onset of disease and make sure people remain healthy. The shift means transitioning from reactive health care – waiting for a problem to occur and then expecting people to come to us, often too late – to proactive healthcare, which keeps people healthy and prevents the onset of disease.”
Red flags before you arrive
The role of AI is something Dr Al Khazraji highlights as being integral to the future of health.
“Picture yourself going to the doctor for a regular check-up. Before you arrive, they click on your patient profile – there’s a clear flag that you may be at greater risk for a specific cancer, given a family member who was also diagnosed later in life," he said.
"Your doctor sits you down and immediately discusses potential lifestyle changes and other treatments that would lower your risk. You take the doctor’s advice now, and for many years in the future, you do not receive a cancer diagnosis. That is how we see the future of health – proactive and preventive.”
The importance of data, and the study of genomics, allows for a "hyper-personalised" approach, he said, noting that the Emirati Genome Programme is one example where disease risks can be identified – allowing for diseases to be caught before they happen in a best-case scenario, or caught early in a worst-case scenario.
But medical check-ups and advances in technology are just one part of the journey, he said, highlighting the critical role of healthy living and that health is a shared responsibility between the health, public and private sectors, as well as the community at large.
“It’s not just about seeing a doctor occasionally; it’s about maintaining a healthy lifestyle every day. This includes physical and mental health – moving more, eating better, maintaining your mental well-being, and getting adequate sleep.”
Health literacy
A key strategy is also to raise health literacy, with Dr Al Khazraji noting that wearables and other technologies can help us understand our health at a "hyper-personalised level".
“We must ensure that everyone has a basic understanding of health and healthy living," he explained.
"Also, ensuring that all members of society have equitable access to that knowledge is vital – the elderly, people of determination, manual labour workforce, diverse cultural groups, and others.
“The interdisciplinary approach, data-driven decision-making, and proactive strategies we employ are creating a model that other countries can follow. By bringing together government and private sectors, we aim to foster innovation and effective health solutions.”
Dr James Mault, founder and chief executive of BioIntelliSense, which produces the BioButton, is also an advisory board member of Abu Dhabi’s M42. He said the rate of progress in medicine has been slower than other sectors.
"Healthcare hasn't yet taken full advantage of what technology has to offer," he told The National.
"We're at the inception of easily one of the most profound moments in the history of human health. We all realise it's about 20 years behind, but nothing's too late. Healthcare is different because people's lives are at stake, and what's now happening is kind of all the stars are aligning.
"In many ways, we're being forced into it because we're running out of doctors and nurses. We have no choice but to find a way to use technology to help doctors and nurses be smarter, better and more efficient.”
A data-led revolution
Dr Mault's creation, BioButtons, has generated more than a billion measurements of vital signs around the world. The device, which is a remote monitoring wearable, is intended to collect physiological data, which can include heart rate, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and other symptomatic or biometric data.
“So that's one of the areas [data] that I've been very focused on; how do we monitor people? Because healthcare starts with information," he said.
"When you go to your doctor, we collect information, we find out your history, and we measure your vital signs. With that data, we can make a diagnosis, and then determine a treatment.
"The more data we have, the easier it is to figure out what's happening. And so, now we have genomics, and we have proteomics, and we have biometric data, and then you have AI that can see patterns.”
A pharmaceutical hub
The UAE is also increasingly being recognised as a hub for innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, according to Mohamed Ezz Eldin, executive committee member of PHRMAG and Head of Gulf Countries at Novartis.
"Many companies now consider the UAE as a hub for innovation, not only in terms of access to innovative medicines but also for providing the right platforms for pharmaceutical research and development," Mr Ezz Eldin said.
"We recognise that research and development is a priority for UAE health authorities and multinational pharmaceutical companies."
He added that companies such as those under PHRMAG have attracted foreign investment through research and development, local manufacturing, investment activities, public awareness, adherence programmes, and patient affordability programmes, significantly boosting the UAE's economy.
He pointed out that the UAE’s geographical location, regulatory environment, and quality of life are key factors attracting talent and technologists from around the world.
“The UAE’s central location, high-quality regulatory environment, and exceptional quality of life attract numerous talents and nationalities, creating a talent pool that is very helpful for the pharmaceutical industry,” he concluded.
"The regulatory environment encourages innovation and ensures high standards of quality, healthcare services, and compliance. This differentiates the UAE and makes it an attractive destination for pharmaceutical companies.
"With the collaboration between government and private sectors, the UAE is well-positioned to continue its growth as a leader in pharmaceutical innovation."
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECBDC%20real-value%20pilot%20held%20with%20three%20partner%20institutions%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPreparing%20buy%20now%2C%20pay%20later%20regulations%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPreparing%20for%20the%202023%20launch%20of%20the%20domestic%20card%20initiative%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPhase%20one%20of%20the%20Financial%20Infrastructure%20Transformation%20(FiT)%20completed%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Uefa Nations League: How it Works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
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What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
Race card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m
9.25pm: Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
10.35pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm: Shahm, 7.05pm: Well Of Wisdom, 7.40pm: Lucius Tiberius, 8.15pm: Captain Von Trapp, 8.50pm: Secret Advisor, 9.25pm: George Villiers, 10pm: American Graffiti, 10.35pm: On The Warpath
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')
Manchester City 0
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