The initiative, led by the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Health and Healthcare, focuses on moving digital health projects beyond individual pilots and towards responsible adoption across healthcare systems, with patient outcomes, care delivery and system efficiency among its areas of work.

AI and digital care at scale

The Executive Board sets the initiative’s direction and priorities, with membership comprising chief executives, ministers and leaders of multilateral institutions.

Burjeel Holdings operates an integrated healthcare network with capabilities spanning complex care, advanced clinical technology, AI integration and digital infrastructure, alongside its continued expansion across the region.

Abu Dhabi part of global initiative

Launched in 2024, the Digital Healthcare Transformation Initiative works across three main areas, including sharing insights and leading practices, developing health ecosystems and supporting Pathfinder coalitions designed to demonstrate digital transformation at scale.

More than 200 organisations have engaged with the initiative, which covers areas including health data collaboration, AI innovation and regulation, virtual health, digital health incentives and intelligent health systems.

Abu Dhabi is also part of the initiative’s global Pathfinder approach, with work focused on intelligent health systems, international collaboration, developing a global strategy hub and sharing approaches that can be scaled across healthcare systems.

Global healthcare leaders on board

Other members of the Executive Board include Gianrico Farrugia, President and CEO of Mayo Clinic, Geoff Martha, Chairman and CEO of Medtronic, Roy Jakobs, President and CEO of Philips, Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, and Dr Anne Klibanski, President and CEO of Mass General Brigham.

The board also includes Fahad bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Health, reflecting the initiative’s mix of government, healthcare, technology and institutional leadership.

Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series. Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy. An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question. When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.