The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoH) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (du) to enhance their cooperation in the field of smart services.

Under the MoU, the ministry and du will cooperate to develop a smart telemedicine application to improve the quality of services rendered to patients and enhance the country’s healthcare sector.

The MoU was signed during the 45th Arab Health being held at Dubai World Trade Centre by H.E. Dr. Mohammad Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry, on behalf of H.E. Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, and Farid Faraidooni, Deputy CEO at du.

The event was attended by the ministry’s undersecretaries and Marwan Bin Dalmook, Senior Vice President, Information and Communications Technology Solutions and Smart City Operations at du.

According to the MoU, both sides will cooperate to provide innovative healthcare services including online prescriptions, electronic claims, remote patient monitoring, mobile electronic health records and a telemedicine platform. The MoU aims to simplify procedures of obtaining healthcare services in accordance with the international standards for health care quality and preventive healthcare.

It also aims to further develop the country’s healthcare system to overcome health risks and epidemics through digital solutions based on the latest global technologies.

Commenting on the occasion, Al Owais said: “Signing the MoU with du comes in line with our relentless efforts being made to keep abreast of and harness the latest international technologies. It is also to support our leadership ambitions to transform itself into a smart government and strengthen the UAE’s leading position as a global hub for smart solutions We will offer a new generation of sophisticated healthcare services”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Al Olama stressed the importance of the MoU, especially to promote the digital healthcare system as a model for virtual hospitals and to boost patients’ interaction with healthcare providers while being treated.

He added that the ministry spares no effort to make the most of technological innovations to offer smart solutions, develop innovative models of tele-care and reduce patients’ visits to hospitals including a realistic clinical rehabilitation program at home.

“This is part of the ministry’s strategy aiming to harness AI technologies to meet the needs of patients, supports decision-making process, monitor patients’ condition remotely, provide preventive healthcare, and reduce healthcare costs,” Al Olama said.

For his part, Farid Faraidooni, Deputy CEO at du, said: “We are very pleased to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and Prevention to give a priority to patients under every treatment scenario: outpatient, outpatient, emergency. In the first stage, both entities will develop a telemedicine application, which will serve as the basis for “digital hospital platform”. The App also provides a decision-support tool for both the patient and the doctor”.