UAE, Israel ink cooperation deal for digital health solutions

Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Shakhbout al Nahyan, chairman of Federal Group and Smart Vision for Information Technology has signed a cooperation agreement with Digital Health Innovation 2048 (DHI 2048) to streamline the adoption of best-in-class digital health products and innovative solutions from Israel.

The launch is part of the latest cooperation to strengthen the ties between the UAE and Israel, following the Abraham Accords signed last year on August 13, 2020. The official launch of DHI 2048, which was supported by the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) was attended by ambassadors from the UAE and Israel, as well as officials from health ministries and various authorities.

Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Shakhbout al Nahyan said: “We are truly thrilled to announce the new cooperation between Smart Vision for Information Systems and Digital Health Innovation which aims to digitise the delivery of healthcare services in the UAE. This cooperation shall open the doors for a newly digitised era of delivering healthcare-related services using Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in the region and shall in return reduce the time and effort spent to produce accurate results and further improve the quality of healthcare services.”

Adiv Baruch, chairman of DHI 2048, talked about how advancement in digital solutions in healthcare will benefit everyone. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated many digital processes, leading to a growing need for cost-effective and efficient ways of healthcare delivery. “The timely partnership between UAE and Israel will go way beyond and takes a hands-on approach to healthcare delivery across the Mena region. Deployment of Nanox systems, trainings and state-of-the-art AI technologies is just a start, and we aim to further accelerate the growth of health care sector with the support of our regional stakeholders.”

The UAE-Israel collaboration will add huge value to the health sector, including both public and private hospitals. With the launch of DHI 2048, it is estimated that over $2 billion will be deployed in the next four years. Joining hands with its Israeli partners; Nanox and Illumigyn, the collaborative platform aims to install 2100 Nanox systems in public and private hospitals, train the workforce including nurses, and deploy artificial technology to create a robust healthcare ecosystem. The introduction of this technology is intended to promote the mission of providing a worldwide end-to-end medical imaging solution that enables people to have early medical detection and better health

The healthcare ecosystem is witnessing a paradigm shift towards providing accessibility, helping affordability, and offering quality services to customers. The UAE's health expenditure reached a value of $15 billion in 2020 and is expected to hit $16.0 billion in 2021, a 6.6 per cent y-o-y increase. Further, it is estimated that spending will reach $20.2 billion by 2025, which translates to compound annual growth rate of 7.2 per cent.

business@khaleejtimes.com