As GCC countries accelerate their healthcare transformation, the focus is shifting from adopting global health technologies to developing homegrown innovations that can deliver lasting clinical, economic and environmental value. From artificial intelligence and precision medicine to investment, regulation and cross-sector collaboration, building a sustainable healthtech ecosystem will be essential to strengthening healthcare systems across the region.
In this ESG MENA https://esgmena.com/ interview, Lorena Diaz Palle, http://linkedin.com/in/lorena-diaz-palle-1bab542a Event Director of WHX Tech, https://www.worldhealthexpo.com/explores how locally developed technologies can reshape healthcare delivery, improve resource utilisation and expand access to care. She also discusses the role of AI in moving beyond process automation, the investment and regulatory frameworks needed to scale healthtech businesses, and how specialised industry events can connect innovators, investors and healthcare providers to turn promising solutions into practical, scalable innovations with long-term impact.
As GCC nations shift from adopting health innovations to developing them locally, how might this transformation redefine sustainability in the region’s healthcare sector?
From what we’ve seen, the region is already moving beyond simply adopting international healthcare technologies. We’re now starting to see more solutions being developed here in the region. After talking with healthcare leaders, investors and startups, it’s clear that government investment and ambitious healthcare transformation programmes are actually building the capabilities needed to make this shift happen.
From a sustainability perspective, this shift means building healthcare systems that can meet growing demand, use resources more effectively, and continue to improve care over time. Developing local expertise in health data, genomics, precision medicine, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical development helps the region address its healthcare priorities. It also reduces reliance on imported solutions and expertise.
The connection between technology, clinical research, and healthcare delivery is particularly important. Developing solutions in partnership with regional healthcare providers allows companies to understand local needs and demonstrate practical benefits, whether through earlier diagnosis, more accessible care, or more efficient use of healthcare resources.
To build a sustainable healthtech ecosystem, we need talent, investment, and partnerships that support local solutions long term. This is part of the discussion at WHX Tech. We bring innovators together with healthcare providers, investors and industry partners to figure out how homegrown technologies can achieve wider adoption and have a lasting impact. Supporting companies as they establish themselves here and expand into new markets helps create a stronger foundation for both healthcare and economic value in the region.
Do you believe the true value of AI in healthcare lies solely in digitising existing processes, or in its potential to redesign healthcare delivery and resource utilisation? Where do you see the greatest opportunity for this in the region?
Of course, making everyday processes more efficient has real value, especially if it gives healthcare professionals more time with patients. But in our conversations with providers and technology companies, it’s clear that the ambition for AI is much bigger than that. People are thinking about how AI can change not just the processes, but how care is actually planned and delivered.
Our research partner, NXT Horizon, has shared that digital tools can automate 30–40% of non-clinical tasks. That’s a huge opportunity to ease pressure on administrators and give healthcare professionals more time with patients. But it’s also about the bigger potential to rethink how care is delivered in the first place.
One area we see attracting interest is the connection between earlier diagnosis, prevention and care beyond the hospital. Combined with digital health platforms and remote monitoring, AI could help healthcare teams identify where attention is needed sooner and make better use of their time and resources. The region’s interest in health data and precision medicine also creates opportunities for more personalised approaches to care.
The big questions are whether AI will really help healthcare professionals make better decisions, improve access to care, and make things easier for patients.
As health-tech companies transition from innovation to scaling, what changes are needed in the investment, regulatory, and partnership ecosystems to embed long-term growth from the outset?
A recurring message from founders and investors is that the support needed to launch a business can be quite different from the support needed to grow it. Long-term growth needs to be considered early on, including how a solution will be validated, purchased, and introduced into healthcare organisations.
For investment, that means access to funding beyond the initial stages, along with experienced people who can help founders build sustainable businesses. Investors contributing to our programme have highlighted the importance of mid-stage capital and mentorship from operators who have already supported companies through that transition.
Clear regulatory pathways also help businesses plan, especially when they intend to operate across GCC markets with different requirements. Early dialogue with regulators can help founders understand what evidence and safeguards their solutions will need.
Partnerships with healthcare providers matter just as much. Involving clinicians and purchasing teams early in development helps companies understand how their products will fit into everyday practice. Insights from our research partner, NXT Horizon, show that more than 60% of healthcare providers prefer platforms over standalone tools. This reinforces the importance of working with providers early to develop solutions that connect with their existing systems and can support wider adoption.
Together, these relationships can give founders a clearer route from a successful pilot to broader use, with fewer practical obstacles emerging later in the process.
Through WHX Tech, what role can specialised events play in transforming health innovations—moving them from promising ideas and technologies into widely applicable solutions that drive sustainable impact across healthcare systems?
Specialised events can help turn interest in a technology into a more informed discussion about its application. A founder may have a promising product, but taking it further often requires several perspectives. For example, a provider assessing its clinical relevance, an investor evaluating its business model, and partners understanding how to implement it.
At WHX Tech, we create space for these conversations. Through the Investor Programme and the Xcelerate Startup Competition, companies get to present their solutions, get feedback, and meet people who can support their next stage of development. The wider programme also gives healthcare organisations a chance to talk openly about shared challenges like integration, cybersecurity, and making connected care work in practice.
As part of World Healthcare Week, which takes place from 25-28 January 2027 at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City and Dubai World Trade Centre, WHX Tech brings that technology focus into a wider gathering of healthcare businesses and leaders. We want the relationships formed at the event to continue through pilots, investment discussions and commercial partnerships. That follow-through is where an event can contribute to lasting impact, helping useful innovations reach more healthcare organisations and the patients they serve.