PureHealth and SEHA Partner with Cincinnati Children's in US to advance Abu Dhabi's paediatric care ecosystem

Zawya

06-05-2025

Abu Dhabi – UAE – PureHealth, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, and its subsidiary SEHA have partnered with the number one US children's hospital, Cincinnati Children's, through SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), to deliver world-class paediatric expertise to Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
The partnership between SEHA SKMC and Cincinnati Children's marks a major milestone in advancing clinical services, research, and medical training, and reflects their shared vision to reinforce Abu Dhabi's position as a global leader in advanced paediatric medicine and healthcare.
Through this collaboration, both institutions will work closely in embedding international best practices across key paediatric specialities, including Cardiac Surgery, Neurosurgery, Oncology, and Transplant Medicine. By combining SEHA SKMC's established clinical foundation with the global expertise of Cincinnati Children's, the collaboration is not only raising the standard of care but also creating a shared culture of innovation, continuous learning, and improvement.
During Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025 and in the presence of His Excellency Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), Her Excellency Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Shaista Asif, Group Chief Executive Officer of PureHealth and Rashed Al Qubaisi, Group Chief Operating Officer at PureHealth, the agreement was signed by Saeed Al Kuwaiti, Chief Executive Officer of SEHA and Oliver Rhine, Chief Strategy Officer of Cincinnati Children's.
His Excellency Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: 'Under the directives of our wise leadership, Abu Dhabi is committed to providing specialised healthcare facilities that deliver world-class services, enabling community members to enjoy long, healthy lives. This is achieved by strengthening cooperative frameworks with major healthcare institutions worldwide. The collaboration between SEHA and Cincinnati Children's highlights the depth of our relationships with partners in the United States and our shared vision of improving health in communities everywhere.'
Shaista Asif, Group Chief Executive Officer of PureHealth, said: 'PureHealth is proud to lead partnerships that raise standards and transform lives. This collaboration places Abu Dhabi at the forefront of paediatric healthcare in the region, reducing reliance on overseas treatment, strengthening local expertise, and building long-term resilience within our health system. By leveraging the expertise of both institutions, we aim to strengthen the region's position as a global leader in pediatric medicine, drive innovation, and deliver exceptional outcomes for children and families."
The partnership goes beyond individual clinical cases to reshape care models, develop integrated patient pathways, and pilot innovative protocols that aim to have a lasting, system-wide impact. Collectively, the two teams are advancing paediatric care through a globally aligned model focused on comprehensive, patient-centred outcomes, placing Abu Dhabi at the forefront of cutting-edge paediatrics in the Middle East.
Steve Davis MD, President and CEO of Cincinnati Children's, said: 'At Cincinnati Children's, we have long had the goal of being the leader in improving child health, and over the past decades, we have made real progress in improving the health of children in Cincinnati, in the US and around the world. We have done that through partnerships with other organisations where we have taken an all-teach, all-learn approach. We are so excited about the opportunities with SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. We share their vision of helping to create a world-class Paediatric Centre of Excellence here in Abu Dhabi that will benefit the children of the United Arab Emirates, the region, and the children in Cincinnati.'
The initiative is a cornerstone of PureHealth and SEHA's broader ambition to make Abu Dhabi a global reference point for healthcare excellence. The newly established Paediatric Centre of Excellence at SEHA SKMC is already contributing significantly to providing patients across the UAE and the Middle East with best-in-class, advanced, specialised care here in Abu Dhabi, reducing the need for overseas travel for treatment.
About PureHealth:
PureHealth is the largest healthcare group in the Middle East with an ecosystem that challenges lifespans and reimagines health spans. With 100+ hospitals, 300+ clinics, multiple diagnostic centres, health insurance solutions, pharmacies, health tech, procurement, investments and more, its groundbreaking innovations are at the forefront of healthcare as the company is on a mission to unlock time for humankind. By advancing the Science of Longevity, PureHealth is introducing the healthcare of the future from the United Arab Emirates to the rest of the world.
PureHealth's network comprises:
SEHA – One of the largest healthcare networks of hospitals and clinics in the UAE
SEHA CLINICS - Delivering comprehensive community-based healthcare services
Daman (The National Health Insurance Company) – The UAE's leading health insurer
The Medical Office – Overseeing Sheikh Khalifa Hospitals and healthcare facilities established under the initiatives of H.H. The President of the UAE
Rafed – The UAE's largest healthcare Group Purchasing Organisation
PureLab – Managing and operating the largest network of laboratories in the region
One Health – A network that provides end-to-end medical solutions to a base of over 300 healthcare service providers
The Life Corner – Abu Dhabi's first holistic pharmacy, serving the health and wellness establishment
Ardent Health Services – The fourth largest privately held acute care hospital operator in the US
Circle Health Group – The largest independent operators of hospitals in the UK
Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG) - the largest private healthcare provider in Greece and Cyprus
PureCS - A leading cloud and technology services provider, specialising in IT management and consulting solutions, cybersecurity, cloud services and AI information systems
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) – The UAE's largest healthcare complex, delivering integrated complex care
About SEHA
SEHA is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company operates a big number of the public hospitals and clinics of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. SEHA is a PureHealth asset, the largest healthcare platform in the Middle East.
SEHA is committed to the continuous improvement of customer care to recognised international standards, and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 3,000 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centres, and three blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually, conducting 43,262 surgeries, and treat more than 5 million outpatients.
SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East, with more than 14,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel.
About Cincinnati Children's
Cincinnati Children's is ranked among the best pediatric health systems in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, including No. 1 in pediatric cancer care, gastroenterology and pulmonology. Cincinnati Children's also ranks among the nation's best for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health. Established in 1883, Cincinnati Children's is a nonprofit that cares for patients from all 50 states and dozens of countries, including kids with complex or rare disorders.