Abu Dhabi Health Department Leads Mission To Showcase Global Leadership In Healthcare Innovation

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) recently led a high-level delegation to the United States. This mission aimed to strengthen partnerships and highlight Abu Dhabi's achievements in life sciences and precision medicine. The visit underscored the emirate's leadership in healthcare innovation and its dedication to advancing scientific research and ethical medical governance through international cooperation.

During the visit, the delegation engaged in over 20 strategic meetings with leaders from both public and private sectors across the US. These interactions focused on enhancing knowledge exchange and exploring investment opportunities. Notably, new agreements were signed to accelerate the adoption of advanced health solutions, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s commitment to global collaboration in healthcare.

The delegation visited major US cities like Boston, Washington DC, and Philadelphia. This coincided with Abu Dhabi’s participation in BIO International Convention 2025, a leading biotechnology event. The visit highlighted achievements in AI, digital health, genomics, and clinical research while promoting long-term partnerships with government entities, research institutions, and global innovators.

Significant partnerships were established with prestigious US-based organisations such as the University of California, San Francisco, Innovative Genomics Institute, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Abbott, Aetna International, GEMMABio, and Children’s National Hospital. These collaborations aim to establish genome surgery centres, advance vaccine development and manufacturing, integrate innovative research platforms, localise pharmaceutical production, expand access to US healthcare networks, develop genomics research centres, and launch advanced cell and gene therapy programmes for children.

Her Excellency Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi stated: "This mission demonstrated Abu Dhabi’s ongoing efforts to cement its position as a global centre of excellence in health and life sciences. We are committed to fostering partnerships that advance healthcare innovation and enhance quality of life both in the UAE and globally."

Innovative Healthcare Initiatives

On the sidelines of BIO International Convention in Boston, DoH collaborated with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC). This partnership enabled expedited access to Tremfya for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), marking its first availability outside the US. This initiative reinforces Abu Dhabi’s role as a leader in healthcare innovation.

Representing Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem were key stakeholders like Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Mubadala BIO, M42, Masdar City, KEZAD Group, PureHealth, StartAD, Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, and Etihad Cargo. These entities play crucial roles in driving forward the emirate's vision for healthcare transformation through innovation.

Abu Dhabi leads regional genomics efforts through the Emirati Genome Programme. It has sequenced over 800,000 samples creating an advanced national genomic database. The emirate hosts more than 90 licensed research centres conducting over 30 clinical trials on oncology and chronic conditions.

Advanced data platforms like Malaffi securely store over 5 million patient records enabling AI-powered insights. National initiatives such as the Golden Visa have granted over 2,000 long-term visas for researchers worldwide. These efforts reflect Abu Dhabi’s broader vision for healthcare transformation driven by innovation and investment.

With inputs from WAM