4 minute read
Collaboration and opportunity in the Emirates
The UAE is the ideal location for launching into global markets says Mazin Gadir, healthcare adviser and digital health expert
Thanks to the impetus of the global pandemic, healthcare innovation is on a fast trajectory. The recent Arab Health exhibition in Dubai delivered concrete evidence of this swift rise, from health economics to the Metaverse to new ways of clinical care using AI.
But one thing that is becoming clear is the need to link the best ideas together in a comprehensive solution that delivers integrated healthcare at a government level. For providers, the inherent problem with siloed solutions, even those that are interoperable, is the difficulty of choosing from so many ideas and taking a bet that they will work seamlessly from the start.
And interestingly enough, I have observed a great deal of collaboration and consolidation. The Department of Health Abu Dhabi is focussed strongly on optimising and merging solutions such as personalised medicine solutions and technologies, digital twin AI, virtual metaverse, extended reality solutions, but they are focusing on big players within both the public and private sectors.
So it seems that the market could be led by what the departments of health and the regulators feel is the best fit. This will give providers confidence that these solutions are fit for purpose and are backed by reputable industry leaders.
Opportunities in the Middle East
So where does this leave the smaller innovators who have created solutions to ongoing problems in healthcare services? It’s true that the Dubai health system is congested. But even so, there are opportunities for SMEs to fill in the gaps beyond the big players and find a niche for themselves.
The most obvious one is that the Emirates is a perfect location to launch into global markets. Right now we’re seeing the Saudi health market opening up – this has huge potential and there is plenty of room for everyone. It’s an attractive market, especially now that they are trying to push for more headquarters and regional head offices to locate there. The UAE itself is investing into Saudi, so there’s a huge amount of allowance for UAE-based companies to come in. Following on from Expo 2020 here in Dubai, it’s very probable that Expo 2030 will be in Riyadh, so the next eight years will be crucial in establishing in a presence in the Saudi market.
The UAE is also becoming the gateway for the Egypt market which is growing very quickly. They have an enormous population and an increasingly wealthy middle class, so the opportunities here are potentially large. Many of these will be outside the principal cities so it’s very interesting indeed.
And then of course there is Ethiopia, which has not been on the radar so far. It has a population of 100m and there is huge potential to scale up a lot of infrastructure and other investments. The UAE is also investing heavily in Ethiopia at the moment and many companies are following suit, so it’s one to keep an eye on. It’s an ancient kingdom and one that has always been connected to the Middle East by virtue of its location, so it has potential to be the gateway for Africa for this region.
Mazin Gadir Healthcare adviser and digital health expert
The UAE as a location
Dubai has currently relaxed its visa rules for overseas nationalities as it becomes more business-focussed, so now is a good time to look at basing your company here. The health system is restructuring again and the Dubai health portfolio is going to spin off into a new organisation called the Dubai Academic Health Care Corporation which will be the operator arm for its five hospitals and 20 plus clinics. They will also focus on academia by boosting the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences into a more active role as it focuses on medical education within the whole healthcare setting.
The Department of Health Abu Dhabi is leading the way with a lot of initiatives and research, particularly focussing on AI and clinical trials with pharma companies. This year it had a huge presence at Arab Health and is taking the lead in many areas, despite the fact that the population is not as big as that of Dubai. But their funds are endless and they have more physical space so they are becoming more business-friendly and allowing more people to settle. This openness will lead the way to new specialities taking root, such as elderly care and end of life care.
Finally, the Emirates can also open up routes into India’s healthcare sector, given its proximity. In my opinion, India is the country to take digitisation to the next level. They have a successful tech industry and they have been driving many digital solutions and initiatives in the past few years. So keep an eye out for the new unicorns coming out of India because there will be quite a few of them.
