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Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health (DoH) has formed a strategic agreement with what is arguably Israel’s top medical centre.
This week, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital’s DoH announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ramat Gan’s Sheba Medical Center. According to a statement released by the Emirates News Agency, the country’s government-run newswire, the MoU aims to “create a framework for cooperation in developing and improving healthcare services to meet the needs of a healthier community.”
It also serves to enable both parties to “consolidate their efforts to improve the country’s healthcare system, and provide the highest quality of care for patients, positioning Abu Dhabi as a prominent destination for medical tourism.”
THE LARGER CONTEXT
Sheba Medical Center is currently amongst the top 10 hospitals in the world. It is the only one from Israel to rank in the 2021 top 10 list created annually by Newsweek.
The MoU will help the DoH and Sheba to explore healthcare opportunities that are beneficial to both, focusing on the “exchange of knowledge, best medical practices and methodologies.” This will reportedly include conducting research together, as well as improving healthtech services, such as telemedicine and those that use artificial intelligence.
This latest agreement comes as part of both countries’ mission to increase cooperation and the exchange of information between the healthcare sectors of the UAE and Israel.
Just last week, the DoH announced a partnership with Israel’s Clalit Health Services, the largest of the country’s four state-mandated health service organisations.
ON THE RECORD
“The DoH continues to devote its best efforts to improve healthcare sector outcomes and provide the most advanced healthcare services, in line with the highest international standards, reflecting its keenness to establish effective partnerships with leading local and international medical institutions,” said DoH undersecretary, Jamal Mohammed Alkaabi.
Yitshak Kreiss, Director-General of Sheba Medical Center, added: “The Abrahamic Accords have given Israel and the UAE a unique opportunity to cooperate in healthcare services and advance digital health to benefit our communities. We are delighted to establish partnerships with healthcare institutions in Abu Dhabi, which share a vision that knows no boundaries.”