DoH announces collaboration with Microsoft to advance the use of AI and digital tech in healthcare

18 Oct, 2023:

On the sidelines of GITEX Global Week 2023, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, signed an agreement with Microsoft, to advance the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare sector. Through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the two entities will seek to explore the potential of leveraging leading AI platforms for innovation in healthcare, including to improve patient outcomes, increase efficiencies and enhance health research and services.

The MoU was signed by H.E. Dr. Ahmed AlKhazraji, Executive Director, Strategy and Policy at Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Naim Yazbeck, General Manager for Microsoft UAE.

As part of the agreement, the two parties will create a joint working group to facilitate collaboration and communication on this project. The group will study the development and deployment of AI technologies, sharing best practices and lessons while also identifying challenges and barriers that could arise from their use. The aim is to establish a long-term collaboration for the use of AI solutions to advance DoH capabilities, improve patient and clinician experiences and elevate the sectors’ outcomes. 

HE Dr. Ahmed AlKhazraji, Executive Director, Strategy and Policy at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Under the directives of our wise leadership, the Department of Health (DoH) is pioneering the use of advanced technologies and digital solutions within healthcare in order to enhance patient outcomes, and thus ensure the highest quality of life in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. AI is at the heart of healthcare innovation, and DoH is therefore collaborating with an industry leader like Microsoft to study its potential for benefit across the healthcare industry, and to set the stage for a future driven by innovation. Reinforcing the Emirate’s positioning as a leading destination for innovation in healthcare, the Department’s goal remains to establish Abu Dhabi as a forerunner in healthcare quality and services, and to advance vital research within the sector for the benefit of the entire community.”

The collaboration will also explore the deployment of an employee experience platform that can gather real-time insights to enable smarter working, enhanced performance, and an improved workplace culture at the Department of Health (DoH).

Naim Yazbeck, General Manager for Microsoft UAE, said that Microsoft is proud to serve as a longstanding partner on the UAE's digital transformation journey. “The UAE government very early identified digital transformation as being key to accelerating the growth of the healthcare sector and enhancing the quality of healthcare services for patients in the region. Our collaboration with the DoH supports the UAE’s vision of leveraging the latest technologies such as generative AI to tackle key challenges, drive innovation, and enhance productivity across critical sectors. We look forward to working with the DoH to unlock the potential of this transformative technology in setting new standards for healthcare excellence in Abu Dhabi and around the world.” 

The agreement is expected to present multiple opportunities for cross-industry learning, including in terms of healthcare knowledge for generative AI technologies. In turn, AI has the capacity to support decision-making in the healthcare sector by identifying areas of concern and predicting the impact of new regulations and policies. The DoH remains committed to safeguarding data integrity and privacy as it looks into integrating the most advanced solutions towards improving health services in Abu Dhabi.

The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH) is inviting guests to visit its stand and view the latest healthcare technologies and innovations of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector. DoH is participating under the unified umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA), located in Sheikh Saeed Hall, Hall 19/B20 from 16 October 2023 to 20 October 2023. 

To learn more about the DoH’s participation at GITEX Global Week 2023, please visit www.doh.gov.ae/en/news