Latest news with #AbuDhabiGlobalHealthWeek
CairoScene
14-05-2025
- Health
- CairoScene
Advanced Cancer Therapy to Be Produced in UAE at 90% Lower Cost
CAR-T cancer therapy—one of the world's most expensive treatments—will soon be produced locally in the UAE at a fraction of the price. Apr 20, 2025 In a major healthcare breakthrough, the UAE is set to manufacture CAR-T cell therapies locally, cutting treatment costs by up to 90% compared to international prices. The initiative, announced during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, results from a partnership between Burjeel Holdings and US-based non-profit Caring Cross. CAR-T therapy is a next-generation immunotherapy that reprograms a patient's immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells, primarily used to treat aggressive blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. With current global treatment prices ranging from USD 350,000 to over USD 1 million, access has remained limited across the MENA region. This new initiative will establish a local manufacturing ecosystem, with Caring Cross supplying the technology, raw materials, and training needed to support point-of-care production. The first phase focuses on leukemia and lymphoma, with plans to expand into treatments for other diseases, including HIV. The partnership aims to position the UAE as a regional hub for advanced cell and gene therapies, enhancing access to life-saving treatments and supporting healthcare sustainability across underserved populations in MENA and beyond.
Zawya
01-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025 concludes with a bold vision to redefine the future of health
33 strategic MoUs were signed with international, regional and local partners to accelerate progress in longevity, AI, and precision health, and agreements to develop Abu Dhabi's health system resilience Abu Dhabi, UAE: The second edition of Abu Dhabi Global Health Week (ADGHW) concluded with a renewed commitment to transforming the way the world thinks about, invests in and supports longer healthier lives for their populations. With a focus on digital health and AI, prevention, personalisation, precision medicine, and longevity, ADGHW marked a milestone in the emirate's mission to advance the future of health and well-being. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and curated by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), ADGHW brought together 14,290 visitors, 1,295 delegates from global organizations, 140 exhibitors, and 271 visionary speakers from 95 countries. His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening ceremony of ADGHW 2025 and toured the exhibition, underscoring the emirate's commitment to positioning health and longevity at the centre of its national development agenda. The event also welcomed H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes' Affairs, and H.E. Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Cabinet Member and Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE. 'Born from Abu Dhabi's bold vision to transform health, ADGHW connects people, possibilities, and purpose. With leaders from policy, research, technology, and care uniting here to shape the future of health together, together we are moving the conversation – from prevention and diagnostics to longevity and healthspan. With Abu Dhabi's commitment to good health for all, underpinned by collaboration, innovation, data-led insights and action, health knows no boundaries' stated His Excellency Mansoor Mansoori, Chairman of Department of Health-Abu Dhabi. In addition, high-level global delegation of health and policy leaders joined the discussions at the event, with 11 international Government Ministers and representatives including H.E. Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, UAE; H.E. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, UAE; H.E. Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health, Armenia; H.E. Dr. Jaleela bint AlSayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Health, Bahrain; H.E. Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health & Population, Egypt; H.E. Dr. Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of Health, Georgia; H.E. Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Health, Greece; H.E. Prof. Feras Hawari, Minister of Health, Jordan; H.E. Pradip Paudel, Minister for Health and Population, Nepal; H.E. Dr. Yoonsoon Jung, Deputy Minister for Healthcare Policy, Republic of Korea; and H.E. Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health, Russia. Among the other distinguished participants were Ms. Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Liberian Peace and Women's Rights Activist; Director Generals of International Organisations such as Gavi, and the Africa Centres of Disease Control; 13 chairpersons, 49 founders, CEOs, managing directors and general managers, 17 Presidents and Vice Presidents, and 22 senior academics, research leaders, and specialised executives. The programme featured 69 sessions and facilitated the signing of 33 strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), aimed at advancing data-driven health systems that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics to detect, prevent, and manage diseases; extending healthy lifespans through innovations in precision medicine, early intervention, and personalised care; building more resilient and equitable healthcare ecosystems that are sustainable, future-ready, and inclusive; and accelerating investment in life sciences to scale innovation where it is most needed. These cross-sector, cross-border collaborations, with partners including M42, PureHealth, Illumina, New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), Khalifa University, Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi (IHLAD), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Masdar City, Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC), Gilead Sciences and others, demonstrate Abu Dhabi's growing role as a trusted global health convener and a driving force behind scalable, future-focused solutions. Comments from speakers during the Forum@ ADGHW included: ' Collaboration is the strongest currency we have. Across private, public, and global organisations — we can only solve this together. ' – Anil Soni, CEO of the World Health Organization (WHO) Foundation " Health is not a privilege—it is a fundamental human right. Our mission is to provide affordable, high-quality care regardless of socioeconomic status or background." – H.E. Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health & Population, Egypt "The right to health is a blueprint for a shared vision—one where health is accessible, acceptable, and of high quality for all people." – Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, United Nations, South Africa 'We know that prevention is cheaper than treatment. We know that data can guide more efficient spending. But we also know that this requires courage — because the investments we make today won't always show results immediately. Still, we must make them.' – Her Excellency Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health, Armenia "People aren't chasing immortality, they just want to know that in their 80s or 90s, they can play with their grandchildren, travel without pain, and live without chronic disease. That's healthspan." – Dr. Peter Attia, Physician, Podcast host, and Author, USA "We need to shift from reactive treatment to real-time coaching. When personalised data drives behavior, we can transform prevention from a concept into a daily habit." – Elena Bonfiglioli, Global Business Leader, General Manager, Healthcare, Pharma, and Life Sciences, Microsoft, Belgium 'If we want to shift from lifespan to healthspan, we need to create a culture of movement as a lifestyle—not just something you do a few times a week in the gym, but something embedded in daily life. That includes nutrition, sleep, relaxation, and social wellness.' – Nerio Alessandri, Founder & CEO Technogym, Italy 'AI is not a silver bullet, but it is a critical enabler … We must use AI to drive efficiency, equity, and innovation. But above all, we must shift our mindset: healthcare is not a cost to contain — it's an investment in national resilience.' – Michel Demaré, Chairman, AstraZeneca, Switzerland Key highlights from ADGHW 2025 include: The convening of senior international government officials at the Health Leaders Roundtable to discuss the challenges and opportunities in unlocking the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), and explored key principles in the governance of AI in healthcare. The launch of the Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) cluster, developed by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, designed to drive healthcare innovation, attract international investment, and deliver lasting benefits to global populations. The launch of a first-of-its-kind Declaration on Longevity and Precision Health, laying out a global agenda to extend not just lifespan, but healthspan. The inauguration of a regional vaccine hub following the signing of a MoU between DoH and leading biopharma company GSK at ADGHW 2024. The unveiling of the AI-powered Population Health Intelligence Framework, the world's first true learning health system capable of continuously predicting, preventing, and responding to public health challenges. A new white paper from Abu Dhabi Public Health Center and McKinsey Health Institute addressing the roadmap to improved metabolic health, sharing evidence-based solutions from Abu Dhabi. The launch of a comprehensive report titled 'Genomics For Longevity' that explores the transformative potential of genomics in enhancing clinical outcomes, driving economic growth, and supporting Abu Dhabi's strategic vision for precision medicine. These collaborations reflect Abu Dhabi's role as a trusted global health convener and underscore the importance of bold, future-focused decision-making. ADGHW also served as a launchpad for innovation. The dedicated Startup Zone and Smart Health Hackathon offered health tech startups an opportunity to directly engage with investors, mentors, and platforms to scale. The ADGHW Innovation Awards recognised pioneering contributions to health and longevity, awarding a combined $200,000 prize to solutions tackling the sector's most pressing challenges. As new threats emerge and longstanding challenges persist, Abu Dhabi remains committed to championing a future of health that is proactive, data-driven, and built to benefit all—reimagining what is possible for the well-being of every person, everywhere. For more information about ADGHW, visit About Abu Dhabi Global Health Week: Abu Dhabi Global Health Week (ADGHW) is a major government-led initiative by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH). It drives transformative innovation and collaboration under the theme 'Towards Longevity: Redefining Health and Well-being'. ADGHW serves as a year-round 'always-on' platform with a proactive approach centred around preventive, personalised, and holistic care. Held with and for the world, ADGHW is a platform for open, inclusive exchange, and joint action. For more information on ADGHW, visit For media inquiries or interview opportunities, please contact: Maroun Farah Senior Media Relations Manager, Weber Shandwick E: mfarah@ About the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH): The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi is the regulative body of the healthcare sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Committed to ensuring excellence in healthcare, DoH monitors the health status of the population while shaping the regulatory framework for the health system. This includes inspecting against regulations, enforcing standards and encouraging the adoption of world-class best practices and performance targets by all healthcare providers in the Emirate. Abu Dhabi remains dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare by establishing an intelligent and sustainable ecosystem that prioritises health, longevity and quality of life for all community members. Leveraging state-of-the-art infrastructure and cutting-edge capabilities, DoH continues to develop and implement initiatives and programmes in line with its strategic focus areas, Healthy Population, Best-in-Class Care and Resilience and Innovation. These efforts reflect DoH's unwavering commitment to predicting, preventing and personalising healthcare for every individual. For further information on DOH, visit and follow on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. For media inquiries, please contact: Mariam Al Marzooqi msalmarzooqi@
Al Etihad
30-04-2025
- Health
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025: A platform further advancing healthcare and wellbeing
30 Apr 2025 18:16 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The second edition of Abu Dhabi Global Health Week (ADGHW) concluded with a renewed commitment to transforming the way the world thinks about, invests in and supports longer healthier lives for their populations. With a focus on digital health and AI, prevention, personalisation, precision medicine, and longevity, ADGHW marked a milestone in the emirate's mission to advance the future of health and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and curated by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), ADGHW brought together 14,290 visitors, 1,295 delegates from global organisations, 140 exhibitors, and 271 visionary speakers from 95 countries. His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening ceremony of ADGHW 2025 and toured the exhibition, underscoring the emirate's commitment to positioning health and longevity at the centre of its national development agenda. The event also welcomed His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes' Affairs, and His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of of the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Mansoor Al Mansoori, said, 'Born from Abu Dhabi's bold vision to transform health, ADGHW connects people, possibilities, and purpose. With leaders from policy, research, technology, and care uniting here to shape the future of health together, together we are moving the conversation – from prevention and diagnostics to longevity and healthspan. With Abu Dhabi's commitment to good health for all, underpinned by collaboration, innovation, data-led insights and action, health knows no boundaries.'In addition, high-level global delegation of health and policy leaders joined the discussions at the event, with 11 international Government Ministers and representatives including His Excellency Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, UAE; His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, UAE; Her Excellency Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of Armenia; Her Excellency Dr Jaleela bint AlSayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Health for Bahrain; His Excellency Dr Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health & Population for Egypt; His Excellency Dr Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of Health for Georgia; His Excellency Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Health of Greece; His Excellency Prof Feras Hawari, Minister of Health of Jordan; His Excellency Pradip Paudel, Minister for Health and Population of Nepal; His Excellency Dr Yoonsoon Jung, Deputy Minister for Healthcare Policy of Republic of Korea; and His Excellency Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the other distinguished participants were Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Liberian Peace and Women's Rights Activist; Director Generals of International Organisations such as Gavi, and the Africa Centres of Disease Control; 13 chairpersons, 49 founders, CEOs, managing directors and general managers, 17 Presidents and Vice Presidents, and 22 senior academics, research leaders, and specialised programme featured 69 sessions and facilitated the signing of 33 strategic agreements, aimed at advancing data-driven health systems that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics to detect, prevent, and manage diseases; extending healthy lifespans through innovations in precision medicine, early intervention, and personalised care; building more resilient and equitable healthcare ecosystems that are sustainable, future-ready, and inclusive; and accelerating investment in life sciences to scale innovation where it is most cross-sector, cross-border collaborations, with partners including M42, PureHealth, Illumina, New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), Khalifa University, Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi (IHLAD), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Masdar City, Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC), Gilead Sciences and others, demonstrate Abu Dhabi's growing role as a trusted global health convener and a driving force behind scalable, future-focused solutions. The convening of senior international government officials at the Health Leaders Roundtable to discuss the challenges and opportunities in unlocking the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), and to explore key principles in the governance of AI in launch of the Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM) cluster, developed by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, is designed to drive healthcare innovation, attract international investment, and deliver lasting benefits to global launch of a first-of-its-kind Declaration on Longevity and Precision Health, laying out a global agenda to extend not just lifespan, but inauguration of a regional vaccine hub following the signing of an MoU between DoH and leading biopharma company GSK at ADGHW unveiling of the AI-powered Population Health Intelligence Framework, the world's first true learning health system capable of continuously predicting, preventing, and responding to public health challenges.A new white paper from Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and McKinsey Health Institute addresses the roadmap to improved metabolic health, sharing evidence-based solutions from Abu launch of a comprehensive report titled Genomics For Longevity that explores the transformative potential of genomics in enhancing clinical outcomes, driving economic growth, and supporting Abu Dhabi's strategic vision for precision collaborations reflect Abu Dhabi's role as a trusted global health convener and underscore the importance of bold, future-focused also served as a launchpad for innovation. The dedicated Startup Zone and Smart Health Hackathon offered health tech startups an opportunity to directly engage with investors, mentors, and platforms to scale. The ADGHW Innovation Awards recognised pioneering contributions to health and longevity, awarding a combined $200,000 prize to solutions tackling the sector's most pressing challenges. As new threats emerge and longstanding challenges persist, Abu Dhabi remains committed to championing a future of health that is proactive, data-driven, and built to benefit all — reimagining what is possible for the well-being of every person, everywhere.
The National
25-04-2025
- Health
- The National
Abu Dhabi returns to the spotlight to drive the future of global health
The UAE capital has again put itself front and centre of the international healthcare revolution with a successful second Abu Dhabi Global Health Week. Across three days, sector leaders from around the world travelled to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre for a dynamic event that hosted crucial conversations and initiated collaborations to deliver equitable healthcare excellence, held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Last week's gathering built on the 'surpassed expectations' success of 2024's inaugural event and further underlined the city's importance on the world stage as a leading voice in the mission to advance health and wellbeing. Under the theme, Towards Longevity, Redefining Health and Wellbeing, ADGHW brought together ministers, health leaders, policymakers, innovators, and investors from many nations. The event resulted in the signing of the 'Declaration on Longevity and Precision Medicine' marking a historic milestone in the quest to transform healthcare delivery and research worldwide. The declaration outlined bold commitments to advance longevity science, artificial intelligence, driven diagnostics, and personalised therapeutics. It set forth six key pillars to advance research, innovation, collaboration and knowledge-sharing alongside investment in education and workforce development. By advocating for supportive policy and regulation, upholding ethics and responsible practices and engaging the public, longevity research is expected to have significant implications for health and society. In addition, as part of Abu Dhabi's recently launched Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (Helm) cluster - a pioneering hub for biotechnology, MedTech and digital health innovation - DoH and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (Adio) signed a memorandum of understand with Masdar City at ADGHW for the establishment of health and life sciences laboratories to foster a thriving ecosystem for researchers and entrepreneurs. Building on the 2024 dialogue programme, the latest health week saw critical conversations on health system sustainability, longevity science, and the power of AI and biomedical advances. Innovation was again central to an agenda that ranged from live pitch sessions and the bold activations in the Startup Zone to the immersive experiences of the Gym of the Future. The ADGHW Innovation Awards celebrated groundbreaking breakthroughs, as the energy of the exhibition stands and in the discussion halls, thought leadership sessions delivered insightful dialogue, transformative ideas, and proactive engagement. Central to the potency of ADGHW as a crucible for progressive ideas, high-level panel sessions explored the intersection of AI and health system sustainability, while the live stage hosted forward-thinking discussions on the future of healthcare delivery and cross-sector collaboration. Elsewhere, interactive showcases highlighted innovations in longevity, digital health, and life sciences, underlining the commitment of ADGHW to shape the future of global health. The three-day event also saw the signing of several key deals. These included a DoH Memorandum of Understanding with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, which will advance healthcare resilience and sustainability in Abu Dhabi. The collaboration aims to establish integrated healthcare frameworks between the two bodies, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care amid crises such as Covid, while strengthening emergency response mechanisms. The partnership will also facilitate knowledge exchange, stakeholder coordination, and innovation in critical healthcare decision-making, further solidifying Abu Dhabi's role as a global leader in sustainable healthcare solutions. The DOH also announced a dual MoU with global biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, signed on the sidelines of ADGHW. As part of the agreement, both parties aim to broaden collaboration in clinical research, advanced therapies and healthcare accessibility, while also enhancing treatment options and driving cutting-edge medical innovation in the emirate. DoH signed a further five 'pioneering' MoUs with leading Russian health and technology institutions, the culmination of an earlier strategic DoH delegation visit to Russia, to further strengthen robust bilateral healthcare partnerships between nations. DoH and ADIO also signed a MoU with Unilabs Pharma Solutions - a subsidiary of the international provider of diagnostic services, Unilabs - under which the parties aim to develop a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory as part of the Helm cluster. And an MoU signed by DoH and Adio with global biopharmaceutical leader GSK, in the presence of Sir Jonathan Symonds, chairman of GSK and Badr Al-Olama, director general of Abu Dhabi Investment Office, will bring collaboration on a Multiomics Research Institute in Abu Dhabi. This aims to accelerate oncology-focused genomic science and precision medicine, enhancing diversification and global representation in genomic research to improve cancer patient outcomes. This follows from GSK's announcement last year to develop a regional vaccine distribution centre in Abu Dhabi. The centre was created to meet rising demand for GSK vaccines in the region, Near-East and South Asian countries. Finally, the DoH, in partnership with PureHealth, Khalifa University of Technology, Illumina, M42, Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi and New York University Abu Dhabi, signed a landmark agreement to establish a collaborative framework that will shape the future of healthcare through precision medicine and advanced therapies. Overall, ADGHW brought together healthcare leaders, policymakers, stakeholders and disruptors from across the planet. And the voices of those shaping global health in numerous territories were amplified through keynote speeches and live panel sessions that offered the chance to address major challenges and opportunities in creating a global, sustainable and resilient healthcare network. A robust strategic conference agenda focused on four core themes. These were designed to drive meaningful change through collaborative dialogue and interactions that could foster the formation of strategic partnerships to strengthen healthcare systems worldwide, ensuring lasting impact across communities and borders long after ADGHW closed. The themes were Longevity and Precision Health: Personalising the Future of Medicine; Health System Resilience & Sustainability: Crafting Future-Ready Frameworks; Digital Health & AI: Revolutionising Care Through Technology; and Investment in Life Sciences: Driving Global Innovation Forward. Ibrahim Al Jallaf, executive director of digital health at the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, described ADGHW as an opportunity to 'spark partnerships … to spark conversations between experts and people practising in the field' that perhaps haven't been able to have such conversations before. With 15,000 attendees from 90 nations, and a programme hosting 200 visionary speakers, 1,900 conference delegates and 150 'pioneering' exhibitors, ADGHW again proved to be a prime date on the world healthcare calendar, further establishing Abu Dhabi as a global health and wellness hub. 'The UAE has always been very well positioned for connecting the globe,' said Mr Al Jallaf. 'Looking now at Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, we're connecting leading experts, bringing success cases and innovations from their home countries, and having conversations here.' He said he was even more excited by the 2025 edition of ADGHW as it welcomed an even larger presence of global leaders, which in turn 'creates opportunities for even greater and more global ideas'. 'The real value here is we are able to have conversations between global experts that spark new ideas, that result in projects," Mr Al Jallaf said. 'What ideas will have come out of Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025, and what kind of impact are we going to see over the next year?'
Mid East Info
25-04-2025
- Health
- Mid East Info
Abu Dhabi Pioneers Collaborative Approach to Responsible AI in Healthcare at Health Leaders Roundtable - Middle East Business News and Information
Held during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, the roundtable united global health leaders to shape a Declaration on AI governance principles for healthcare This collaborative dialogue explored key challenges and opportunities in unlocking AI's potential, and the optimal governance principles required to develop an agile framework for effectively integrating AI in healthcare Its key principles are rooted in inclusion, equity, and ethics, to ensure patient safety while enabling responsible innovation Participants included academics, technology experts, and pharmaceuticals leaders from across Africa, the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, convened senior international government officials at the Health Leaders Roundtable to shape a Declaration on AI governance principles for healthcare. Held on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Global Health Week (ADGHW), it considered the challenges and opportunities in unlocking the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), and explored key principles in the governance of AI in healthcare. Hosted together with PwC Middle East, findings from the roundtable will inform the development of a collaborative approach that will serve as a reference for governments, health systems, and innovators to ensure that AI's integration into healthcare systems is transparent, responsible, and inclusive. His Excellency Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, added: 'AI is not tomorrow's technology, it is today's reality. While many of us are adapting to its rise, our children will grow up with it as the norm. That's why the decisions we make today, around ethics, equity, and safety, must be made together. Through this declaration, we will establish a globally accessible guideline that extends beyond borders and commercial interests. This document is a call to action for governments, innovators, and healthcare leaders everywhere.' The forthcoming Declaration on governance principles for AI in healthcare will outline guiding principles for responsible AI deployment to improve health outcomes and protect patient rights. Designed as a globally accessible resource, the declaration will inspire unified governance and serve as a trusted reference for stakeholders worldwide. In her opening remarks at the Roundtable, Her Excellency Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, stated: 'AI has extraordinary potential in healthcare. It is already transforming how we deliver care, how we diagnose, and how we discover. But with great power comes great responsibility. In Abu Dhabi, we are harnessing AI as our engine and policy as our platform, turning data into life-saving insight, and insight into meaningful action. Our vision is to deliver healthcare that is precise, proactive, and personal and to do so in a way that puts people, not technology, at the centre.' During the Roundtable, participants emphasised the need for agile legal and regulatory frameworks to enable the safe and ethical application of AI in healthcare, while enabling innovation. With an emphasis on the need for a human-centred approach, discussions explored key themes including standardisation of data, data privacy and trust, skills development and community engagement. Key insights from the Roundtable highlight the need for: Transparent testing frameworks to ensure AI tools meet real-world clinical standards; Collaborative ecosystems that unite regulators, industry, academia, and civil society across geographies; Responsible data access that protects privacy, ensure security, and clarify ownership; Addressing the AI skills gap by scaling education and awareness across healthcare systems and prepare healthcare workforces for a new era. Aligning AI use cases with real-world patient and system challenges, avoiding technology for technology's sake. The Health Leaders Roundtable brought together a distinguished group of local and international voices, including government officials, AI experts, healthcare executives, and multilateral organisations, to explore the shared principles and practices needed to deploy AI responsibly, effectively, and equitably. These themes build on Abu Dhabi's rapidly advancing AI ecosystem, which in the field of health, is taking billions of data points, and turning them into life-changing insights. Supporting the Emirates's approach is the Global AI Healthcare Academy, launched by DoH, which equips healthcare professionals worldwide with theoretical knowledge and hands-on training needed to implement AI technologies effectively, setting a global standard for capacity building. In addition, Malaffi – the region's first Health Information Exchange – provides secure, real-time access to patient data across both public and private healthcare providers. This seamless data integration is crucial for enabling AI tools to be deployed safely, efficiently, and at scale. ADGHW is a major government initiative from DoH, and serves as a platform for innovation and collaboration under the 2025 theme 'Towards Longevity: Redefining Health and Well-being.' By convening diverse stakeholders from around the world, ADGHW is a community without borders that seeks to advance the future of health and well-being. About Abu Dhabi Global Health Week: Abu Dhabi Global Health Week (ADGHW) is a major government-led initiative by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH). It drives transformative innovation and collaboration under the theme 'Towards Longevity: Redefining Health and Well-being'. ADGHW serves as a year-round 'always-on' platform with a proactive approach centred around preventive, personalised, and holistic care. Held with and for the world, ADGHW is a platform for open, inclusive exchange, and joint action. ADGHW welcomes entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers, innovators, and investors to transform ideas into action, and collaborate around topics like advancing precision care and building a resilient technology-driven ecosystem. ADGHW 2025 proudly collaborates with key strategic partners, including Foundation Partner, M42 and Global Health and Longevity Champion, PureHealth. Additional exhibitors and sponsors include Burjeel, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Microsoft, Novo Nordisk, Viatris, Novartis, Roche, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Deloitte, Gilead, Juvenescence, NYU Abu Dhabi and Pfizer, united in their commitment to advancing the future of healthcare and life sciences. About the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH): The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi is the regulative body of the healthcare sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Committed to ensuring excellence in healthcare, DoH monitors the health status of the population while shaping the regulatory framework for the health system. This includes inspecting against regulations, enforcing standards and encouraging the adoption of world-class best practices and performance targets by all healthcare providers in the Emirate. Abu Dhabi remains dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare by establishing an intelligent and sustainable ecosystem that prioritises health, longevity and quality of life for all community members. Leveraging state-of-the-art infrastructure and cutting-edge capabilities, DoH continues to develop and implement initiatives and programmes in line with its strategic focus areas, Healthy Population, Best-in-Class Care and Resilience and Innovation. These efforts reflect DoH's unwavering commitment to predicting, preventing and personalising healthcare for every individual.
