Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025 held 15-17 April showcased the emirate’s ambitious vision to transform healthcare through innovation, collaboration and research. The following news briefs highlight key developments announced during the event, including AI governance principles, advanced research facilities, metabolic health strategies and breakthrough technologies – all part of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to establishing a world-class healthcare ecosystem.
Declaration on longevity and precision medicine launched at Abu Dhabi
A comprehensive ‘Declaration on Longevity and Precision Medicine’ was unveiled at Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, outlining six key pillars to transform healthcare delivery and research globally. The initiative, developed with international health organisations and academic institutions, focuses on advancing research, enhancing collaboration, investing in workforce development, advocating for supportive regulations, upholding ethical practices, and engaging the public about longevity research implications. Signatories include M42, PureHealth, Illumina, NYU Abu Dhabi, University of Pennsylvania, and several leading hospitals. The declaration addresses the growing healthspan-lifespan disparity of nearly a decade globally as the World Health Organization forecasts the population aged over 60 will reach 2.1 billion by 2050. The UAE has positioned itself as a regional leader in longevity, with its market expected to grow from $19 billion in 2020 to $32 billion by 2026.
Global health innovators recognised with innovation awards
Abu Dhabi Global Health Week has honoured exceptional individuals and institutions whose innovative contributions are advancing the future of health. Winners of the ADGHW Innovation Awards 2025 were recognised for pioneering solutions in digital health, biotechnology and diagnostics, receiving a share of the $200,000 prize fund. Recipients include Nobel Laureate Dr Ardem Patapoutian for discovering novel molecular targets involved in pain perception, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for prenatal therapeutic gene editing technologies, the University of Pennsylvania for pioneering work in mRNA platform technology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre for revolutionising organ transplantation through robotic-assisted surgery, and BioSapien Inc for its MediChip drug delivery platform.
Abu Dhabi pioneers collaborative approach to AI governance in healthcare
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi convened international leaders at a Health Leaders Roundtable during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week to develop a Declaration on AI governance principles for healthcare. The collaboration explored challenges in unlocking AI’s potential while establishing key governance principles rooted in inclusion, equity and ethics. The forthcoming declaration will serve as a global guideline for responsible AI deployment to improve health outcomes across borders.
Metabolic health improvement roadmap unveiled
Abu Dhabi Global Health Week saw the release of a comprehensive white paper analysing successful metabolic health programmes and providing a roadmap for addressing interconnected metabolic disorders on a population scale. Developed by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and McKinsey Health Institute, the analysis reveals that a holistic approach to metabolic health could increase healthy life years by 3.5 times compared to targeting obesity alone. The paper emphasises the need for ambitious vision, comprehensive intervention programmes and cross-sector collaboration.
DoH partners with Gilead Sciences to advance healthcare innovation
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) has announced a dual Memoranda of Understanding with Gilead Sciences to broaden collaboration in clinical research, advanced therapies and healthcare accessibility. The partnership aims to enhance treatment options and drive cutting-edge medical innovation in the emirate, with a focus on advancements in virology and cell therapies. This strategic collaboration reinforces Abu Dhabi’s commitment to integrating state-of-the-art medical technologies and research capabilities, ensuring the emirate remains a hub for healthcare excellence and a model for world-class healthcare practices.
Microsoft showcases AI innovations in healthcare at ADGHW
Microsoft demonstrated its AI innovations in healthcare solutions at Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, showcasing the AI-powered personal wellness app ‘hayat’. The app focuses on mental health and personalisation, integrating with Apple Health and featuring natural language search, conversational AI and a speech agent that supports Arabic and English. Microsoft’s healthcare solutions reside in its industry cloud, Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, which helps protect and govern patient data across clouds, applications and devices. It also improves care management and delivers personalised experiences for patients, members and customers.
Department of Health signs MoU with Microsoft for AI-powered framework
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft to co-develop an advanced ‘Population Health Intelligence’ framework, aiming to create a true learning health system capable of continuously predicting, preventing and responding to public health challenges. The framework is built on two interconnected pillars: establishing a digital twin of Abu Dhabi that consolidates clinical, behavioural, environmental and demographic data, and deploying AI-powered, context-aware recommendations tailored to population, district and individual levels. This initiative adheres to robust privacy regulations, ensuring sensitive information is safeguarded against unauthorised access.
The MoU was signed by H.E. Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Executive Director of Digital Health at DoH and Naim Yazbeck, Country General Manager from Microsoft UAE.
Commenting on the announcement, Al Jallafsaid: “Our mission goes beyond delivering healthcare, we are shaping a new era of longevity, where data, prevention, and innovation come together to empower healthier lives. Through advanced technologies, global collaboration, and bold policy thinking, we are building a resilient health ecosystem that anticipates needs, addresses disparities, and unlocks the full potential of every individual. Abu Dhabi is proud to lead the charge in redefining what health systems can achieve when informed by data-led insights, and driven by purpose.”
Advanced analytical laboratory established for clinical research
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office have partnered with Unilabs Pharma Solutions to establish a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory as part of Abu Dhabi’s Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM) cluster. The laboratory will drive advancements in drug development and clinical trials, positioning the emirate as a global life sciences hub. The initiative aims to create high-value jobs, localise supply chains and increase investment in healthcare infrastructure.
New health sciences laboratories to enhance research ecosystem
A Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Masdar City will establish cutting-edge health and life sciences laboratories in Abu Dhabi’s sustainable urban community. The partnership focuses on infrastructure development, fostering collaboration, talent development and translating research into economic value. The facilities will meet international standards for safety, sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Smart health hackathon recognises breakthrough tech solutions
Winners of the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week Smart Health Hackathon were announced, with 16 teams competing across ‘Smart Living’ and ‘The Gym of Tomorrow’ categories. The winning solutions included CloudCare, an AI system monitoring vital signs of elderly individuals, and Limitless, a fitness platform tailored specifically to women’s physiology. Winners received prizes of up to $5,000, mentorship opportunities and potential pilot testing in Abu Dhabi’s healthcare ecosystem. The competition attracted over 100 applications, with participants representing 11 different universities across the UAE.
