The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) together with the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Dubai Healthcare City and other relevant authorities have launched a blockchain-based health data storage platform.

According to the Emirates News Agency, the blockchain-based platform aims to improve the efficiency of MoHAP and other health authorities’ smart health services. It will also help users streamline the search for health facilities and its licensed medical & technical personnel. As a result, inquiring about medicine supply chains become easier than ever.

Dr. Lubna AI Shaali, the Directory of the Public Health Policy Department, says the new data storage blockchain platform will help secure an unchangeable, decentralized and encrypted database with high-security protection to verify data validity and reliability.

As per the ministry’s plans for introducing artificial intelligence into health services, the platform will also contain AI functionalities. Dr. Amin Hussein AI Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s Public Health Policy and Licenses says

The AI-based propjects will play a key role in enhancing the capabilities of healthcare services and providing smart medical solutions, in accordance with the UAE Centennial 2071 and its artificial intelligence strategy.

UAE Takes the Initiative in Blockchain Technology

As per the earlier report, 80% of the government entities in the UAE have started using blockchain. In the past several months, the Department of Economic Development in Dubai has announced its move to a blockchain-based unified business registry platform. It will improve the ease of doing business in Dubai and enable license issuers to manage trade licenses as well as corporate registries.

Being decentralized, secure, transparent, and efficient in managing data, the healthcare sector can benefit tremendously from blockchain technology. Yet, there are several challenges ahead too such as how it can adapt to real-world applications when it comes to regulation, privacy, business and provider and patient relationships which are unique to healthcare.