Framework for Sustainable Healthcare Design

The United Arab Emirates will host COP28 in 2023, following this year's COP27 in Egypt, which calls for companies to demonstrate their commitment to environmental and sustainability issues through more than just words. Some may be surprised to learn that the whole healthcare industry—from doctors' offices to drug factories—is responsible for about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

According to AstraZeneca's area Vice President for the Middle East and Africa, Pelin Incesu, the healthcare industry would be the world's fifth-largest emitter if it were a country. This claim was made in a recent piece published in regional media.

The healthcare industry "must recognise its contributions and play a key role in driving down emissions," she said, if the world is to achieve the internationally agreed targets to limit global temperature increases.

She added that AstraZeneca is spending $1 billion on its Ambition Zero Carbon programme to reduce its carbon footprint and make the company more resistant to disruptions in its supply chains. According to her, Astra Zeneca's climate strategy is in line with the most recent scientific findings because the company is in the biotechnology industry.

Climate change is affecting humanity and leading us to a precipice through global warming," Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, said. The general public, especially the youth, is growing increasingly environmentally conscious and activist. However, major corporations, including healthcare providers, must take the initiative in this because it is their responsibility to the next generation.

Abu Dhabi's world-class healthcare ecosystem

The government of Abu Dhabi's response to the current health crisis has been successful without jeopardising its long-term objectives. The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 serves as the foundation for its principles and plans to strengthen the healthcare sector by increasing capacity and provision. The vision calls for a 21st-century health system that prioritises patients, for healthcare professionals to improve their practise, and for the sector as a whole to embrace innovative technologies for disease prevention and treatment.

Healthcare companies of all sizes that are looking to break into the booming MENA region will find the vision appealing.

There is a robust pipeline of public and private sector investment, particularly in specialised care, and public private partnerships with world-famous medical providers, which is being driven by the construction of new hospitals, clinics, and specialised facilities (Global Data's healthcare projects database reports here are nearly 350 hospital projects currently underway across the entire region).

All the pieces—including the right tools, networks, culture, regulations, talent, and infrastructure—are in place for businesses to grow, tap into their full market potential, and contribute to the solution of some of the world's most pressing problems. In addition, we are still in the midst of a metamorphosis.

Technology boosts Abu Dhabi's economy by $182bn

KPMG's Who Cares Wins study states that the health organisations in the UAE are fostering innovation by encouraging the use of emerging technology. Accelerated adoption of AI is projected to boost the country's economy by $182 billion by 2035.

Some private healthcare providers across the country now offer telehealth services, and this year also saw the introduction of other digital health solutions such as remote consultations.

To better health outcomes and expand access to care, the Department of Health's AI Lab is conducting a number of AI-driven telemedicine projects.

Increased Public Private Partnership (PPP) opportunities in Gulf Cooperation Council countries are expected to fuel ongoing smart hospital projects and digital health initiatives like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and robotics, per the findings of Frost & Sullivan's Global Healthcare Market Outlook 2019 report.

Launched recently, Malaffi is the Middle East's first Health Information Exchange and an integral part of Abu Dhabi's efforts to digitise its healthcare system. Clinicians in Abu Dhabi will now have secure access to the 33 million encounters, procedures, problems, and allergy records for patients over the past five years, thanks to the network connecting all public and private healthcare providers in the city.

This public-private partnership (between Abu Dhabi Health Data Services and Orion Health, a New Zealand provider of healthcare IT) is a model of its kind, having produced visible benefits very quickly.

The United Arab Emirates' healthcare budget is expected to grow to $21.3 billion in 2018

The government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is working to create a healthcare system that is among the best in the world. Business Monitor International predicts that healthcare spending would rise to 4.6% of GDP by 2026, from 4.2% in 2016.

Alpen Capital predicts that by 2022, the number of beds needed in the country will increase to 14,969, an increase of 2,069 beds from current levels. The 700 healthcare projects totaling $60.9 billion that are now in development will be able to meet this demand.

Burjeel Medical City, located within Mohammed Bin Zayed City, will be the largest private medical healthcare facility in Abu Dhabi, with 400 beds.

The Future of Healthcare: Towards a Sustainable Transformation

The GCC region, like other parts of the world, is dealing with a variety of healthcare issues, such as a changing population and rising expectations, as well as the increasing prevalence of chronic and lifestyle-related diseases. Healthcare spending in the GCC region will need to climb by 400% from current levels, according to a top international accounting company. The governments of the GCC are already making strides toward a more sustainable and innovative approach to healthcare delivery, and acknowledging these challenges will only help.

With help from elsewhere, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has created a cutting-edge, long-term healthcare system that can adequately serve its population of 9.3 million. To Whom It May Concern, His Majesty . The Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, recently unveiled a seven-year UAE National Agenda that aims to address six national priorities, including "world-class healthcare" and "sustainable environment and infrastructure." The country takes a novel approach by addressing both of these issues at once through initiatives like the Green Economy Project, a wide-ranging strategy that promotes the use of green building materials in healthcare infrastructure, and the Smart City Project, which offers logistical solutions like healthcare apps and mobile clinics.

With only 2.8% of GDP going on healthcare, Oman's forward-thinking approach to sustainable transformation has increased the number of hospitals from 2 to 60 and the number of doctors from 13 to over 5000 in just 50 years. Several national and local level policies are being implemented as a result of this massive increase in resources, all with the goal of moving toward a more sustainable preventative healthcare model. Over two hundred public schools, for instance, have been designated as "health promotion centres" thanks to a school health plan, which means they have received the funding and support they need to educate their students and families on the value of healthy eating and regular exercise.

Over four thousand male and female volunteers drove a nationwide community-based movement that sparked the formation of "healthy city and village" programmes that act as a bridge between hospitals and their surrounding neighbourhoods. The result of such approaches has been to shift the burden of care for one's health onto the individual, thereby releasing resources for other uses.

The UAE and Oman's progressive healthcare systems are indicative of their governments' commitment to proactively address current and future difficulties related to sustainable healthcare transformation. They set an aspirational but achievable standard for other nations to follow in light of the persistent problems with the world's population's health.