Rachel McArthur
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▫️Chief Editorial (Healthcare & Life Sciences), Digital Ink Media
▫️Host & Producer, HIMSS TV (MENA)
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Articles by Rachel McArthur
Digital resilience - a priority for pensions
In a world where digital systems underpin nearly every aspect of our lives, the pensions industry is no exception. Pension schemes today are powered by a web of interconnected technology and with that comes growing risk. Digital resilience is an organisation’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from IT disruptions—whether it’s a cyber-attack, data breach, system outage or even a simple human error.
AI in MENA healthcare is not a single story
In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the race to adopt meaningful artificial intelligence in healthcare is on, but certainly not through a single model or approach. Two key hubs – the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and North Africa – are currently illustrating how healthcare systems across the region are pursuing distinct yet complementary approaches to AI implementation, ones that are shaped by differences in infrastructure, population scale, care delivery and public health priorities.
How artificial intelligence is meeting the patient first
What happens when the first clinical interaction a patient has is not with their doctor, but with an artificial intelligence agent? In healthcare, it is no secret that AI is moving beyond back-end support and into the patient-facing clinical encounter. For Emirates Health Services (EHS) in the United Arab Emirates, that shift is already underway, with agentic AI engaging patients before they see their clinician, supporting care in real time.
Turning advanced analytics into better frontline care
For many healthcare organisations, the challenge is no longer collecting data but utilising it in a way that meaningfully improves care at the frontline. At East London NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, that shift has been underway for nearly a decade, led by Dr Amar Shah, now national clinical director for improvement at NHS England. His work focused not only on building advanced analytics capabilities, but on ensuring those capabilities translated into better care.
UAE Integrative Medicine Council holds inaugural meeting to define national framework
Photo credit: The UAE Integrative Medicine Council The UAE Integrative Medicine Council has convened its inaugural meeting in Abu Dhabi, formally launching a national effort to integrate evidence-based traditional and complementary medicine into the UAE healthcare system.
Key healthcare events in the UAE for H1 2026
WHX Tech 2025 networking event with Solenne Singer, SVP at Informa Markets The right healthcare events matter because they create proximity – bringing the right people into the same room, enabling meaningful networking, and creating space for conversations that move beyond formal presentations. They are also moments where industry colleagues and long-standing collaborators reconnect, exchange ideas, and challenge thinking in ways that don’t always happen elsewhere.
Key healthcare and health-adjacent events in the UAE for H1 2026
The right healthcare events matter because they create proximity – bringing the right people into the same room, enabling meaningful networking, and creating space for conversations that move beyond formal presentations. They are also moments where industry colleagues and long-standing collaborators reconnect, exchange ideas, and challenge thinking in ways that don’t always happen elsewhere. From a media and storytelling perspective, these gatherings are equally important.
Artificial intelligence and Dubai named key leaders in global FDI growth
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been identified as the top emerging technology currently driving global foreign direct investment (FDI) globally, new data has shown. Presented at this week’s World FZO’s 10th Annual World Congress in Dubai, Henry Loewendahl, founder and CEO of Wavteq Group Limited and consultant with fDi Intelligence, broke down the technologies shaping FDIs of the future, with AI leading ahead.
Landmark Abu Dhabi gathering aims to bring better health for all in the UAE
A brand-new government-led conference and event with a mission to enhance healthcare practices in the United Arab Emirates and beyond is set to debut later this month.
MENA healthcare leaders wanted for HIMSS Middle East Community
As part of its mission to foster collaboration between healthcare ecosystems throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), HIMSS’s Middle East Community for Healthcare Professionals stands out as one of the organisation’s most dynamic groups. First launched in November 2021, this regional chapter serves as a platform for thought leaders from the GCC and wider MENA to unite and explore cutting-edge advancements in healthcare IT.
COP28 UAE: Public to have free entry, but must apply for a pass
It welcomed 24 million visitors during Expo 2020 Dubai; now Expo City Dubai is gearing up to host its most significant event since the World Expo two years ago, with 70,000 accredited visitors and 50,000 daily visitors expected during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), known as COP28 UAE.
The current state of Dubai’s healthcare digital transformation journey
In recent years, the emirate of Dubai has undergone a remarkable digital transformation journey, aiming to revolutionise crucial service sectors including healthcare. This dynamic shift towards embracing cutting-edge digital technologies in the industry is just one of the many areas expected to be explored at the upcoming 6th edition of the GCC eHealth Workforce Development Conference (eHWDC 2023).
Onboarding of HIEs in the GCC - the physician’s perspective
Key territories in the GCC are making progress with the implementation of their health information exchange (HIE) systems, a subject that will be delved into in more detail at the upcoming 6th GCC eHealth Workforce Development Conference (eHWDC 2023). Scheduled from 31 October to 2 November 2023 at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the event will focus on critical digital health topics, with a particular emphasis on the examination of different HIEs and their clinical onboarding.
MENA’s leading digital health to convene in Dubai for eHWDC 2023
Some of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s leading experts on digital health and related fields in the healthcare sector are set to gather at the end of this month for the 6th edition of the GCC eHealth Workforce Development Conference (eHWDC 2023).
Understanding NPHIES, KSA’s health information exchange
In the GCC, Saudi Arabia stands out as one of the leading territories spearheading the transformation of the healthcare landscape in the region. The country’s ambitious Vision 2030 goals encompass a range of objectives, which include enhancing healthcare services, digitising healthcare records, and elevating the overall efficiency of the nation’s healthcare system.
MENA’s private sector severely lags in sustainability actions - report
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces a critical climate challenge. This is according to a newly released report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Bain & Company, unveiled on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils 2023 taking place in Dubai this week.
GFC23 Dubai: Rethink economic growth or lose the planet
World governments urgently need to rethink how they grow their economies, warned experts at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils 2023 (GFC23), being held this week in Dubai. During a session focused on the current state of economic growth, Masood Ahmed, President for the Center for Global Development in the US asserted that many communities are being left behind in this current climate.
Dubai Chambers CEO confident in UAE’s growth despite Saudi shift by MNCs
Though Saudi Arabia has asked multinational companies to move their regional headquarters to the kingdom, this is not perceived as a concern by the UAE, the head of Dubai Chambers said. At the 3rd annual Global Trade and Supply Chain Summit in Dubai, Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, was asked whether the emirate, as well as the rest of the UAE, felt it was under more “competitive threat” as a business hub due to recent changes. “I believe highly in the numbers.
How Sidra Medicine Is Pushing The Boundaries Of Paedriatic Medicine And Genomics
Dr. Khalid Fakhro is on a mission to give children in Qatar and beyond access to groundbreaking treatments, as well as place Arab populations on the map of global research. By Rachel McArthur at Digital Ink Media A prominent figure in the field of precision medicine and healthcare innovation in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and beyond, Dr. Khalid Fakhro requires little introduction.
How healthcare transformation in the UAE could result in lower costs for patients
The pandemic demonstrated that healthcare systems cannot remain stagnant and must quickly adapt to evolving needs. It is perhaps unsurprising that this need for evolvement and rapid transformation were key sentiments at this week’s Arab Health 2023, an annual Dubai-based event dubbed by organisers as the largest exhibition and congress for healthcare and trade professionals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
HIMSS22 in Riyadh: Ten expert recommendations to help reshape healthcare in MENA
Thought leaders and experts in healthcare digitisation from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and beyond gathered during the 2022 HIMSS Middle East Health Conference & Exhibition for three days of world-class education and programming. Held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 19 to 21 November, the event concluded with a promising proposed roadmap to reimagine the future of healthcare.
HIMSS22 in Riyadh: Solving the healthcare workforce crisis in the Middle East
The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that there will be a global shortfall of a staggering 10 million healthcare workers by the year 2030. And the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is not immune to this shortfall, with the shortage apparently set to affect countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
GluCare.Health launches value-based weight management pilot
A Dubai-based healthtech startup has partnered with Novo Nordisk to launch what is considered one of the first value-based reimbursement model trials in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). GluCare.Health – named amongst the 50 most-funded startups in the region by Forbes Middle East at $20 million – and the Danish multinational pharmaceutical company will kick off their partnership with a 150-patient weight management pilot programme in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
VIRTUAL TOUR: How the UAE’s Medcare digitally transformed during the pandemic
When it comes to private healthcare providers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Medcare is a brand that continuously ranks highly in its category. The premium medical care company – part of parent group Aster DM Healthcare – reportedly treats over 1.2 million patients across 35 specialties every year. These patients come through the doors of four state-of-the-art hospitals and 18 medical centres across Dubai and Sharjah.
Saudi Ministry of Health announces role of new Health Holding Company
A new holding company announced by the Saudi government will take over healthcare services normally provided and managed by the country’s Ministry of Health (MoH), it has been confirmed. Approved by the Saudi Cabinet, Health Holding Company (HHC) will reportedly focus on providing medical services and care via upcoming health clusters, a set of independent companies that focus on specialist services.
Dubai government health authority upgrades local EMR
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) – the government organisation overseeing the emirate’s health system – has reportedly upgraded its Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to improve its digital experience.
DEEP DIVE: How the legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai can shape the future of healthcare
It was just over two weeks ago that the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region came to an end. Following a year’s delay due to the pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai ran from October 2021 to March 2022, logging an outstanding 24 million visits in the process.
VIRTUAL TOUR: Inside the digital transformation journey of Capital Health
Having been running for just over three years, Abu Dhabi’s Specialized Rehabilitation Hospital (SRH) is considered one of the most advanced in its field in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). But being newly established doesn’t mean that its team has been taking digital transformation and the adoption of new technology for granted. In reality, however long a healthcare facility has been running shouldn’t influence – or hinder – its advancement.
Egypt’s O7 Therapy lands game-changing $2.1M in funding
The digital platform and mobile app specialises in bilingual mental health services for users across the Middle East and North Africa. A Cairo-based healthtech startup focused on providing mental health services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has just secured one of the largest investment rounds for its sector in the region.
Egypt’s O7 Therapy lands game-changing $2.1M in funding
A Cairo-based healthtech startup focused on providing mental health services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has just secured one of the largest investment rounds for its sector in the region. O7 Therapy – a digital platform and smartphone app that specialises in online therapy, corporate wellness programmes, and psychoeducational resources for “Arabic-speaking users” – has raised a total of $2.1 million in a funding round led by Hikma Ventures.
Three lessons to prepare for the 'next pandemic'
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for the global healthcare community to embrace technology to prevent future pandemics. He warned, however, that employing advanced healthcare systems won’t be sustainable if they are not resilient and able to withstand major threats going forward.
Demand for Airbus A380 “astronomical” despite challenges: Emirates airline chief
The president of the largest airline in the UAE has indicated that the company has no plans of reducing the use of its Airbus A380 fleet. This is despite current global challenges, including the pandemic, rising oil prices, and conflict in Europe. Speaking at the World Government Summit 2022, Tim Clark told the audience that consumer demand for the aircraft remained high, with the fleet set to evolve over the next decade.
Dubai sets sights on Latin America as key region for $544bln trade
Latin America (LATAM) is set to become a “key focus” for Dubai in the coming years as the emirate looks to increase foreign trade around the world, according to the chairman of Dubai Chambers. Opening the 2022 edition of the Global Business Forum (GBF) LATAM on Wednesday, Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair stated that “the 27 countries of LATAM and the Caribbean offer a wealth of untapped potential,” aided by post-COVID-19 digital acceleration.
Bayer launches KSA’s first digital platform for pulmonary hypertension management
Germany’s Bayer has launched Saudi Arabia’s first “digital hub” to improve management of pulmonary hypertension (PH), it has announced. The AAN Digital Hub – reportedly designed to address gaps in diagnosis and treatment of the condition during the COVID-19 pandemic – focuses on facilitating virtual referrals for patients, as well as enabling knowledge exchange between primary physicians and specialists and their patients.
Bayer launches KSA’s first digital platform for pulmonary hypertension management
Germany’s Bayer has launched Saudi Arabia’s first “digital hub” to improve management of pulmonary hypertension (PH), it has announced. Germany’s Bayer has launched Saudi Arabia’s first “digital hub” to improve management of pulmonary hypertension (PH), it has announced.
Tel Aviv’s smartphone-powered medical testing company to set up Dubai base
A Tel Aviv-based healthtech company has been brought in as a strategic partner by Dubai’s Seed Group, it has been announced. As a result of this new partnership, Healthy.io – known for its capabilities to transform a smartphone into a medical device – will expand its operations in the GCC and wider region by setting up a base in Dubai in the first instance. The company, founded in 2013, currently has offices in Tel Aviv, Boston, and London.
Tel Aviv’s smartphone-powered medical testing company to set up Dubai base
Healthy.io, a healthtech venture that already has offices in Israel, the UK, and the US, is expanding operations across MENA via a new partnership with the UAE’s Seed Group. A Tel Aviv-based healthtech company has been brought in as a strategic partner by Dubai’s Seed Group, it has been announced.
Baheya Foundation explores AI to predict response to breast cancer treatment
Baheya Foundation – an Egyptian non-profit that provides breast cancer treatment free of charge – has partnered with GE Healthcare to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve outcomes in patients. According to GE Healthcare, it is working with the foundation and its hospital to “develop and validate the use of AI to assess and predict the response of neoadjuvant therapy” in locally advanced breast cancer.
Nigeria’s Reliance Health eyes expansion with $40M in Series B funding
A Nigeria-based company has just secured one of the largest funding rounds for an African healthtech venture to date. Reliance Health, a digital health insurance provider that uses technology and data science to transform all aspects of the health insurance experience – from purchasing premiums to accessing care, for example – has closed a total of $40 million (€35 million) in Series B funding.
Nigeria’s Reliance Health eyes expansion with $40M in Series B funding
The digital health insurance provider confirmed it has closed one of the largest Series B rounds in the booming African healthtech industry to date. A Nigeria-based company has just secured one of the largest funding rounds for an African healthtech venture to date.
Cancer cases at risk of almost doubling in the MEA region by 2040
As of today, there are around 43.8 million people around the world who are within five years of a cancer diagnosis, reports the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). Yet data shows that less than 30% of low-income countries have access to the right cancer treatment services – compared to 90% in high-income countries. In fact, an estimated 70% of deaths caused by cancer occur in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs).
Arab Health 2022: 10 announcements you need to know about
The 2021 edition was visibly quieter in comparison to pre-pandemic years; however, the just-concluded Arab Health 2022 showed that the region is very much back to (healthcare) business. Taking place 24-27 January alongside Medlab Middle East at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Arab Health 2022 was a much busier affair, welcoming around 4,000 exhibitors from more than 60 countries, and a projected combined 60,000 attendees.
How Abu Dhabi’s ADQ is creating the UAE’s largest healthcare platform
Abu Dhabi’s ADQ has kicked off the new year with one of its biggest healthcare mergers yet. The asset owner and investor – considered one of the GCC’s largest holding companies – has announced that it has entered into an agreement to “consolidate several companies within Pure Health”, a UAE-based integrated healthcare solutions provider.
How Abu Dhabi’s ADQ is creating the UAE’s largest healthcare platform
The UAE-based asset owner and investor has announced it is to consolidate several healthcare companies within Pure Health. Abu Dhabi’s ADQ has kicked off the new year with one of its biggest healthcare mergers yet. The asset owner and investor – considered one of the GCC’s largest holding companies – has announced that it has entered into an agreement to “consolidate several companies within Pure Health”, a UAE-based integrated healthcare solutions provider.
AstraZeneca and G42 Healthcare partner to boost research and diagnostics in the UAE
AstraZeneca has teamed up with one of Abu Dhabi’s leading healthtech companies to boost clinical research and diagnostics’ frameworks in the United Arab Emirates. The British-Swedish pharma and biotechnology multinational announced a partnership with G42 Healthcare – a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing business, G42 – to reportedly explore real-world evidence and conduct clinical trials through Insights Research Organization & Solutions (IROS).
Abu Dhabi’s SEHA awarded AAMEN certificate for data security
The largest healthcare network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been awarded the AAMEN certificate for its compliance to government-standard information security and data privacy guidelines. Abu Dhabi Healthcare Company, also known as SEHA, owns and operates the UAE capital’s public hospitals and clinics, as well as COVID-19 PCR testing and vaccination centres around the country.
International Medical Center expands on digital offering via new partnership
Jeddah’s International Medical Center (IMC) is expanding its digital offering by signing a strategic partnership with Saudi Telecom Company (STC), it has announced. The multidisciplinary hospital will reportedly make use of STC’s advanced telecom services “to enhance its medical care services and speed up the digital transformation process in the field of telemedicine,” the company said in a statement.
Watch Mohammed Al Balooshi Race
There’s no doubt about it; Mohammed Al Balooshi has one of the coolest sporting jobs in the world. He’s also one of the United Arab Emirates’ top athletes. So to mark the 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates – or 50th UAE National Day – it was only fitting that the motocross champion was drafted in to take to the roads and deserts of his home country to showcase just how spectacular the nation truly is.
UAE leads femtech in the Gulf - but major challenges remain
Women’s wellness and menstrual health are the key drivers of the femtech sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a new report has found. But plenty of untapped opportunities – and challenges – remain. According to Q4 2021 analysis released by FemTech Analytics – a subsidiary of the UK-based Deep Knowledge Group – e-commerce platforms targeting these two categories of women’s healthcare are at the forefront of the industry in the Gulf nation.
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