In an interview with ESG Mena, Dr. Jason Gray, Senior Director, Clinical Operations, Amana Healthcare says inclusion of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and considerations contributes to a more sustainable healthcare sector, and future.
Gray added ddiscussions on the development of a sustainable healthcare sector cannot happen in silo, saying these discussions require collaboration across both public and private organisations from a range of different industries and backgrounds.
Following is the interview:
Q. What is the impact of climate change on health, especially here in the UAE?
Climate change is a global challenge that is impacting societies around the world. As we experience more adverse weather conditions, climate change poses a risk of exacerbating existing health conditions amongst specific members of the community, and potentially creating new health conditions that we are yet to discover. Apart from impacting the delivery of quality healthcare, the economic impact of climate change will surely have an impact on healthcare operations more broadly, supply chain systems across the healthcare sector, indirect impact on other sectors such as insurance providers, as well as healthcare delivery models as a whole.
Q. What are the main challenges, risks, and opportunities for the healthcare sector from an ESG perspective?
While we can’t comment on the challenges, risks, and opportunities for Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector, as a whole, as a Mubadala Health partner, we believe that the inclusion of Environmental, Social and Governance principles and considerations contributes to a more sustainable healthcare sector, and future.
As a leading provider of long-term care and rehabilitation in the Middle East, Amana Healthcare, is at the forefront of implementing forward-thinking sustainable measures that enable holistic operations for our community. It’s important for Amana Healthcare to always deliver unmatched, high-quality, patient and community-centered care, bearing in mind initiatives that enhance not only our residents but the public wellbeing. This is made possible through research, education, and cutting-edge sustainable, efficient, and eco-friendly facilities underpinned by strong infrastructure and organisational policies.
We see opportunities working across public and private institutions to collaborate on ESG related policies and drive forward solution-driven opportunities. We have been able to implement new technologies and tools, which has allowed us to implement new ESG measures. And there are opportunities for standardising these measures and approaches, so that collaboration across the healthcare sector can be easier.
- What is Amana Healthcare doing to reduce its carbon footprint in the UAE?
Amana Healthcare has been actively looking at ways to reduce its carbon footprint and aim for a more conscious and efficient way of caring, where the patients and the community are seen as a whole, and the associated climate change challenges are kept in mind as part of our vision.
One area where we’re leading on this is our project to reduce our carbon footprint at Amana Village Khalifa City A. This project is just the start of our goal to make Amana Village Khalifa City A an environmentally sustainable residential facility where the patients feel part of an innovative and state-of-the-art hospital that puts their well-being and the general public’s health first.
We implemented a range of measures to reduce electricity consumption by 15% by December 2022 and its associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by enhancing the use of natural light. This has proven beneficial to the mental health of both patients and staff and we’ve estimated a monthly reduction of 8,059 kg of CO2 equivalent. This change alone equals a whole year’s energy consumption for a standard household, or equivalent to 133 tree seedlings grown in a 10-year period. This initiative recently earned us the “Gold Champion” award for the renewable energy & energy efficiency certificate from the Arab Hospitals Federation.
Another project, which was also recognised by Arab Hospitals Federation with the “Gold Champion” award in the water, waste & resource management certificate category, reduces paper consumption at Amana Healthcare’s Weaning Unit at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. The project saw the implementation of paperless tools that helped eliminate paper consumption by 25-30%, as well as awareness campaigns to encourage behavioral change for our staff.
We hope to further build on these projects and aim to contribute towards the UAE’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
- How can we modernise healthcare laws and policies for a more sustainable healthcare sector in the UAE and region?
Discussions on the development of a sustainable healthcare sector cannot happen in silo. These discussions require collaboration across both public and private organisations from a range of different industries and backgrounds. I believe together, this collaborative effort to work with policymakers to support the healthcare sector’s resilience, between climate, public health, and the control of healthcare costs will further aid the development of a sustainable healthcare sector. Already, we’re fortunate to live in the UAE where the government’s commitment to sustainability is unwavering. They have implemented many initiatives to drive change and made substantive input on issues such as energy, education, and healthcare, but there is always more to be done to contribute to a sustainable future.
- What are your thoughts on the Arab Health exhibition from an ESG and sustainability perspective?
Given that 2023 is the ‘Year of Sustainability’ and Abu Dhabi will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 later this year, sustainability is a large part of the Arab Health 2023 conference and a driving factor for the global healthcare sector in general.
Already at Amana Healthcare, we’ve implemented sustainable initiatives that will reduce our carbon footprint and enhance the residents’ and community’s wellbeing across the Amana Healthcare network. We will continue with our forward-thinking approach to create tangible and long-lasting change as we work towards our goal of becoming a regional healthcare leader, promoting environmental sustainability initiatives, and further supporting the development of a sustainable healthcare sector in line with the vision of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.