Mansoor bin Mohammed meets with President and CEO of Rush University System for Health on the sidelines of WHX Dubai 2026

In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Health Board of Directors, Dubai Health hosted a gala dinner in collaboration with Informa Markets to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress.

Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the gala dinner was attended by members of the Dubai Health Board of Directors, senior officials from the Dubai government, CEOs of leading healthcare companies, media leaders, and the Informa team. The event highlighted the achievements of Arab Health since its inception in 1975 and its role in the advancement of the healthcare sector over the years.

Dr. Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health and President of Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), stated: “For five decades, Arab Health has evolved into a global platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange, attracting the world’s leading healthcare companies and contributing to the remarkable transformation of Dubai’s healthcare system. I extend my gratitude to Informa Markets for their outstanding efforts in strengthening this vital sector.

Dr. Sharif added: “The success of Arab Health reflects the strategic direction of our visionary leadership, who placed health and wellbeing as a national priority. Looking ahead, we have a wonderful opportunity to harness our collective capacity to develop solutions that improve healthcare outcomes around the globe. Through our shared efforts, we can chart a new course forward as ‘Together We Advance Health for Humanity’.”

Peter Hall, President of Middle East, India, Türkiye & Africa at Informa Markets, said: “We are proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress. The exhibition has become one of the world's leading events, bringing together thousands of participants, leading companies, medical professionals, and decision-makers every year to showcase the latest technologies and solutions that advance the healthcare sector.”

He added: “We work with our partners at Dubai Health, along with many global medical companies and institutions, to achieve our shared vision of developing the healthcare sector. We thank all participants who have contributed to the success of this event and affirm our continued support for efforts to achieve progress and prosperity in this sector. This occasion is not only a celebration of the past and the achievements over five decades but also an opportunity to look to the future and explore new possibilities for improving health and serving humanity.”

New phase of expansion

Hall mentioned that the exhibition will enter a new phase of expansion starting from the next edition, with its new name, ‘World Health Expo Dubai (WHX Dubai),’ which is scheduled to be held at Expo Dubai.

The gala dinner’s programme showcased a variety of exceptional Emirati talents. To commemorate the occasion, souvenirs inspired by traditional Emirati culture, which were designed by Emirati artist Hessa Alghandi, were gifted to reflect the enduring impact of Arab Health through half a century. The evening’s entertainment included musical performances by pianist Ahmed Al Hashimi, an Emirati prodigy on the autism spectrum, and Emirati oud player Shamsa Al Jasmi. The menu included dishes prepared by Emirati chefs Saud Al Matrooshi and Arwa Lootah in collaboration with the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel.

The Arab Health Exhibition and Congress is held annually in Dubai, bringing together thousands of experts and specialists from around the world to showcase the latest innovations and technologies in the healthcare field, enhancing the UAE's position as a leading destination in this vital sector.

The 50th edition of Arab Health, held under the theme ‘Where the World of Healthcare Meets,’ is well on course to attract more than 60,000 visitors, hosting over 40 international pavilions, and bringing together more than 3,800 exhibitors from 180 countries.

At World Health Expo (WHX) Tech 2025, Dubai Health announced a series of new and strengthened collaborations with leading institutions across academic, technology, and government. These partnerships underscore the integrated academic health systems’ commitment to driving innovation in healthcare delivery, research and education.

Dr. Hanan Al Suwaidi, Chief Business Officer and Acting Chief Academic Officer at Dubai Health, said: “We are grateful to WHX Tech 2025 for creating a platform that brings together leaders in healthcare and technology to spark ideas and strengthen partnerships. These collaborations reflect our mission as an integrated academic health system, where care, learning, discovery, and giving come together to advance health for humanity. Through these concerted efforts, we are opening new pathways to advance technology-driven healthcare innovation.”

Siemens Healthineers

Through an MOU, Dubai Health and Siemens Healthineers will establish a strategic innovation partnership. The agreement provides a basis for collaboration on defining innovation programs, including the Design4Change Innovation Week program set for February 2026. A separate workstream will focus on co-designing a sustainability in healthcare program for the Dubai Health Leadership Academy.

Ayman Al Hussein, Country Head, Siemens Healthineers UAE, said: “We are pleased to join forces with Dubai Health to foster innovation and build capabilities that will shape the future of healthcare in the region. This partnership, anchored in the Siemens Healthineers SHIFT ecosystem, provides the basis for defining innovation programs such as the Design4Change Innovation Week in February 2026, as well as collaboratively designing the Dubai Health Leadership Academy program aimed at building sustainable talent in healthcare. Together, these initiatives reflect our shared commitment to advancing sustainable, patient-centered solutions.

Dubai Future Foundation (DFF)

The Healthcare Sandbox, a new pilot initiative under Sandbox Dubai, was launched through a collaboration between Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Chambers, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Digital Authority, and Dubai Health. The initiative will provide a platform for the development and testing of a wide range of technologies and use cases across healthcare. This collaboration builds on Dubai Health’s broader partnership with DFF, whose ‘Research, Development, and Innovation Program’ supports high-impact research projects in the city. Among its 2024 recipients was PainDetect, an MBRU-led project advancing AI-driven tools for objective pain measurement.

Prototypes for Humanity

Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), which leads the learning and discovery arms of Dubai Health, entered an MOU with Dubai Future Solutions - Prototypes for Humanity to advance the research and development of health science startups, with their solutions to be tested and validated across Dubai Health’s healthcare facilities. One such initiative is with Virufy, an AI-powered mobile application designed for the rapid and cost-effective prescreening of infectious respiratory diseases. The collaboration unites Dubai Health and Nafasy.AI, a Dubai venture set up by Prototypes for Humanity to advance the technology developed by the teams at Virufy and the University of Washington, to build scalable tools for public health protection.

Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI)

Building on their collaboration since 2019, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) and MBRU will continue their productive partnership on innovation and design thinking to develop healthcare solutions. The partnership will include faculty and student exchanges, joint research and projects, such as the Design4Health Bootcamp.

Mohammed Abdullah, President of Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) shared:
“At DIDI, we believe that design thinking and innovation are powerful catalysts for shaping the future of healthcare. By embedding AI into the way our students ideate, prototype, and co-create, we are equipping the next generation of designers with the tools to address complex challenges and deliver meaningful impact. Our ongoing collaboration with MBRU reflects our shared commitment to reimagining healthcare solutions—where creativity meets technology, and human-centered design drives sustainable change for the world and humanity at large.”

Schneider Electric & Microsoft

Dubai Health also signed agreements to collaborate with Schneider Electric and Microsoft to drive innovation in healthcare facilities, focusing on 'Intelligent Hospital' initiatives that enhance operational efficiency.

Huawei

In addition to new agreements, Dubai Health continues to be Huawei’s partner of choice for the testing and validation of its latest healthcare technologies. Building on earlier work with smartwatch health features, the partnership brings together expertise in healthcare and technology to advance innovative digital health solutions.