Abu Dhabi hosts major healthcare summit

At least 3,000 speakers from around the globe to virtually attend the event

Abu Dhabi's response to Covid-19 was highlighted on the first day of the virtual summit. Widespread testing was introduced early in the pandemic. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Abu Dhabi is hosting a major summit that will discuss the future of health care and innovations in the medical field.

The two-day online event started on Thursday and more than 3,000 healthcare experts from countries including the UAE, US, UK and Australia will discuss services and improving the patient experience.

It is the second year of the summit, organised by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH) in collaboration with the British Medical Journal, which is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious publications.

The event is expected to reflect on the pressures Covid-19 placed on the world's healthcare system and how this will play out as the pandemic rumbles on in many parts of the world.

"With the guidance of our wise leadership, we were able to successfully respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and achieve remarkable milestones in the past two years," said Abdulla Al Hamed, chairman of the DOH.

"The capital topped global rankings in its response to the pandemic and continued to reinforce its position as an incubator for innovation in the healthcare sector, both regionally and internationally.

"The emirate is committed to deliver high-quality services, treatments, healthcare technologies and innovations ... and to share the city’s leading experience with our partners from around the world," said Mr Al Hamed.

The summit, meanwhile, is also expected to also touch on the role of scientific research, innovation and digital transformation in improving the quality of health care.

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