Three key themes were addressed during Day 4 of Arab Health – longevity and a commitment to ensuring a healthy lifespan, a focus on women’s health and the innovations being developed to address the specific issues women face, and the continued need to centralise patient data. Clyde & Co healthcare experts Nisha Johar and Sinan Amso provide an overview of these three topics below. 

Longevity 

Day 4 of Arab Health shone a spotlight on the Middle East's commitment to longevity and healthy lifespan. With the UN World Population Prospects report predicting a 16% increase in the global population aged 65 and above by 2025, there is a global interest in reverse aging and longevity. The UAE has integrated positive ageing into its Social Cohesion Strategy, outlined in its 2021 Vision and Centennial Plan 2027. 

On day 4 of Arab Health, field pioneers and world leading longevity researchers convened at the invite-only Future Health Summit to discuss advancements in reverse ageing and emphasising the transformation of human health span. At the Summit, PureHealth, one of the largest healthcare platforms in the Middle East and Arab Health’s National Healthcare Champion, provided valuable and engaging insight into innovative strategies aimed at ensuring people live longer, healthier and happier lives. The Summit’s agenda covered topics such as “bridging the gap between lifespan and health span” and “the opportunity for investment in longevity biotech”, with insights from longevity experts throughout. 

PureHealth’s impressive digital exhibition showcased its focus on the science of longevity displaying technology-drive, personalised, preventive healthcare solutions that focus on increasing the average lifespan and improving the health span in the UAE. It was explained that, as part of its vision, PureHealth believes that over the next 50 years, they could add up to 25 additional years of higher quality, happier and healthcare living. 

The exhibition hosted multiple players in the healthcare market, each offering their own services and products to increase and sustain longevity and healthy living. Modern technologies, including generative AI, appeared to support these services and products, emphasising the shift in how “healthcare”, including its availability, accessibility, and provision, is being viewed, accessed and utilised in today’s society. 

From innovative continuous patient monitoring watches which collect clinically accurate health measurements to support and sustain a healthy lifestyle, to on-person portable devices to protect you against respiratory airborne viruses, to at home body precision measurement scales which provide significant amounts of quantitative healthcare data, the exhibition was a playground for tech and health enthusiasts alike. 

The UAE’s commitment to shaping the future of healthcare, and notably, directing the sector towards achieving longevity, by promoting proactive health management, early intervention and personalised care, was very clear.  

Women’s health 

Throughout Arab Health 2024 there has also been a clear focus on women’s health. During the week, there was an extensive two-day obstetrics and gynaecology conference, focused on discussions around topics such as HPV vaccines, hormone replacement therapy, recurring pregnancy loss and the synergy between heart disease and obstetrics. Experts in the field from across the Middle East, the UK and the US came together to facilitate important conversations and provide cutting-edge insights across diverse subjects on women’s health. 

Service providers in the field have shown a strong commitment to fostering innovation in diagnostics that enable women to have access to vast amounts of personalised data concerning their fertility, prenatal care and cancer screening and prevention. A clear emphasis is being placed on transforming healthcare to serve the women who need it and to provide the right diagnostics so that women are empowered when making healthcare choices that affect them. 

As the laws concerning fertility treatments and fertility preservation procedures continue to develop and evolve in the UAE, healthcare companies are responding and creating new solutions for patients. Discussions were had around the launch of advanced fertility preservation procedures which will provide instant fertility preservation for patients who may need immediate medical treatment that could impact their future fertility. 

The rising demand for women-centric healthcare solutions, driven by increased awareness, advocacy, and a desire to improve overall women's well-being was in clear focus at Arab Health. Advancements in technology and medical research are allowing for more personalized and effective solutions, providing healthcare companies across the Middle East with the opportunity to foster innovation in diagnostics and treatments tailored to women. 

Unified healthcare data management

Arab Health 2024 attracted a diverse array of international exhibitors committed to revolutionising healthcare through the unification and centralisation of patient data. Tech companies from all over the world used the conference as an opportunity to showcase their groundbreaking electronic health record platforms aimed to unify healthcare systems on a broader scale. Their products appear to seamlessly integrate patient information from various healthcare providers, ensuring a comprehensive and centralised repository accessible to both patients and medical professionals.

With increased investment by the Government on medical advancements and technologies, a future where healthcare data is not only efficiently managed but also empowers patients to actively participate in their own care by providing them with a holistic view of their medical history is achievable. The UAE’s commitment to becoming a smart city aligns with the goals of these companies, as the UAE actively seeks to integrate technological solutions for the benefit of its residents and visitors. Moreover, the strategic location offers a gateway to the rapidly growing healthcare markets in the Middle East and beyond, providing companies with valuable opportunities for expansion and collaboration in the region.

Conclusion 

In summary, the events at Arab Health 2024 underscore the Middle East's profound commitment to addressing three pivotal aspects of healthcare – longevity, women's health and the unification of healthcare data to improve patient outcomes. It is no doubt that the focus on innovation and personalised care showcased throughout the event positions the UAE at the forefront of shaping the future of healthcare and we’re excited to see what’s to come in 2024.