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1/30/24, 11:34 AM I’m optimistic that the GCC countries can handle another pandemic

People getting the Covid-19 vaccine shot at the Ajman Society of Social & Cultural Development, in Ajman, on September 23, 2021. Pawan
Singh / The National

Last year, this organisation, along with participating member states, worked on a unified Gulf
technical contribution to the proposed International Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness
and Response. Such an international agreement, a draft of which is expected to be finalised in May, is
considered to be a major milestone on the journey to improving pandemic responses and ensuring
global public health protection.

In the UAE, the Department of Health Abu Dhabi recently began an international collaboration with
the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience. This collaboration involves the World
Economic Forum, the London School of Economics, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and other
important bodies to share learning and expertise that will ensure future health systems are able to
prevent different crises, including pandemic threats.

Second, technological advancements and regulation have led to remarkable progress since the
beginning of the pandemic, especially in the Middle East. These advancements are poised to address
gaps in healthcare delivery and will strengthen the GCC’s already-resilient medical systems.

The pandemic sped up the adoption of telehealth and telemedicine solutions, allowing patients to
consult doctors remotely thus reducing the need for in-person visits and minimising the risk of virus
transmission. In Saudi Arabia, for example, there have been notable telemedicine developments since
the pandemic, and it will continue to make progress under its Vision 2030 plan and the national
transformation of its healthcare sector.

In 2022, the kingdom launched Seha Virtual Hospital, the largest e-health provider of its kind in the
world, and the first in the Middle East. More recently, Saudi digital health company Cura joined forces
with the Saudi German Hospital Group, enabling patients to access virtual consultations and remote
monitoring.

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