UAE and Israel to cooperate on healthcare services

The Emirates Health Services Establishment (EHSE) announced on Thursday that it had signed a cooperation agreement with the Israeli Ministry of Health, aimed at enhancing quality of healthcare in the two countries.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention.

Under the agreement, signed by Dr. Yousif Al Serkal, Director General of the EHSE and the Israeli Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, the cooperation will range from joint efforts to fight global pandemics, protection of medical data, cyber security, medical education, innovation and use of artificial intelligence and other fields of advanced technology.

Al Serkal emphasised that the agreement would contribute to enhancing the protection of health data for patients and the exchange of research between the two countries.

"The UAE and Israel have proven their superior prowess in healthcare field, as the COVID-19 vaccination programmes in the two countries are among the fastest and most efficient globally," he said.

"It is natural for the two countries to develop their technical cooperation given that they are the most technologically advanced in the Middle East region," he added.

Al Serkal also expressed his confidence that this cooperation will contribute to supporting international efforts to combat the pandemic and find creative solutions to the emerging challenges facing the health sector.

He stressed, at the same time, the UAE and Israel "will seek to facilitate cross visits by experts and to set up major economic and health projects, in addition to strengthening cooperation between medical institutions."

The UAE and the State of Israel signed the Abraham Accords peace agreement last September and established direct diplomatic relations. The two countries also signed several bilateral agreements, including a reciprocal visa waiver agreement between the two countries.