Over the past few years, the UAE’s health sector has been getting digital upgrades to help automate processes.

Last week, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), in collaboration with SAS, a leader in data analytics and AI, launched the UAE health sector’s first center of excellence (COE) for AI. 

Through this joint venture, the center aims to promote the digitalization of health data, employ smart technologies to develop health capacities and offerings and establish a comprehensive digital service ecosystem.

The COE will address seven fields of expertise, the first being licensing medical facilities. It will deploy AI to find locations for hospitals and medical centers by providing analytic results to investors before applying for medical facility licenses. Additionally, the center will aid doctors in securing necessary licenses based on national needs.

Furthermore, an organ donation and transplant center to match donuts and patients through test results will be set up, while AI will be used to analyze the results of radiological scans. The new center will launch an AI lab in December.

The nation’s stock of medicines will similarly be managed by AI, which will link databases and study usage to establish needs-based distribution strategies. The digital tool will also help track shipments of medicines. 

Moreover, the COE will push birth and mortality data assessment, which will help better analyze causes of death and related data, playing a crucial role in managing the ministry’s crisis, emergency, and disaster center. 

Finally, the center will assist in data security control and big data analysis, contributing to strengthening the cybersecurity of the ministry’s network.

“With innovative technologies like advanced analytics and AI shaping our society, the Ministry of Health and Prevention is committed to leading the way in such developments,” said Michel Ghorayeb, Managing Director of SAS UAE. 

“Our main goal is to expand the application of AI to improve the well-being and quality of life of service users and society through developing the future of the UAE health sector using artificial intelligence.”