31 SPECIAL SECTION: SMART HEALTH
RESHAPING HEALTH CARE MODELS IN SAUDI ARABIA AND BEYOND KAUST’s Smart-Health Initiative raises the bar for cutting-edge and patient-focused care One of the main challenges of any modern health care system is the integration of cutting-edge, smart technology to not only collect and store patient data, but also to prevent disease and establish optimal diagnosis and treatment. Vision 2030 provides a roadmap to achieve this within the Kingdom’s health care system, and KAUST intends to play a leading role in the endeavour. The university recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to launch a multidisciplinary scientific and clinical research and innovation health program, known as the KAUST Smart-Health Initiative (SHI). It creates a collaborative framework for top Saudi health and education institutions to develop and implement cutting-edge, smart health technologies and methods within the Kingdom. Its ultimate goal is to pave the way for personalised, precision medicine as the standard of care in the Kingdom, the region and beyond. Unlike the traditional onesize-fits-all treatment approach, precision medicine is tailored to a patient’s specific needs.
TONY CHAN President of KAUST
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS A SEMINAL MOMENT
The MoU envisions multiple collaborations between KAUST and the MoH, and other top in-Kingdom hospitals and academic institutions. Areas of collaboration are divided into four, interconnected pillars, all of which support the overall mission and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.
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THE AGREEMENTS AND
The SHI will sponsor carefully chosen research programs that aim to translate scientific findings into effective treatments, with a focus on precision-medicine tools and approaches. Strong emphasis will be placed on programs that seek to develop tools for the diagnosis and treatment of pressing health issues within the Kingdom, such as genetic and metabolic diseases. Saudi Arabia has some of the highest rates of genetic diseases and metabolic syndrome disorders in the world, and the main challenge to treating these diseases is that despite the existence of easily identifiable triggers to onset and progression, response to traditional treatment varies by patient.
HEALTH CARE IN THE KINGDOM, AND THAT PROJECTS EMANATING FROM THIS MoU WILL CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH AMBITIONS ENVISIONED BY VISION 2030.
