UAE advances precision medicine through genomic data and international partnerships

The United Arab Emirates is transitioning its healthcare model toward prevention and population-level risk management through its national genomic programme. Health and Prevention Minister Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh announced that the country is preparing to issue personalized health-risk reports to approximately 920,000 participants. Individuals identified as being at elevated risk will receive actionable plans to discuss with primary care physicians for further testing and preventive care.

This initiative is part of the ‘Healthy UAE’ strategy, which aims to link health systems to focus on preventing illness rather than treating it after onset. The program represents a shift from large-scale data collection to integrating genomic findings into individual healthcare pathways.

International cooperation is also bolstering these advancements. Dr. Karen Smith of Children’s National Hospital highlighted ongoing collaborations with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi on whole-exome sequencing for newborns to enable early intervention. Additionally, partnerships with Al Jalila Children’s Hospital in Dubai include nursing training and remote monitoring services, where specialized nurses in Washington, D.C., monitor cardiac intensive care patients in the UAE during nighttime hours.