Analysis Manufacturing Saudi deal ‘unlikely to cure Iraq’s pharma problems’ Iraq has turned to Saudi Arabia to help it improve its healthcare industry and increase pharmaceutical manufacturing. The ministries of health for both countries are collaborating to boost private healthcare in Iraq and foster partnerships to speed up the establishment of local pharmaceutical factories. However analysts say the impact of the partnership will be limited […] February 8, 2024
Employment Morocco job market hit by rise in rural unemployment Morocco’s unemployment rate increased by 13 percent to nearly 1.6 million last year as the country’s rural areas haemorrhaged jobs. Between 2022 and 2023, the national economy lost 157,000 jobs, according to the latest figures from the Higher Commission of Planning. Although urban areas recorded an increase of 41,000 jobs, employment in rural parts of […] February 7, 2024
People & Lifestyle Mubadala buys stake in Indian hospital chain The Abu Dhabi sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company has invested in Manipal Health Enterprises (Manipal), India’s second-largest hospital chain by number of beds. “Given the ever-increasing demand for high-quality hospital care across India, we look forward to supporting Manipal’s growth journey in the years ahead,” said Camilla Macapili Languille, head of life sciences at Mubadala, according to the […] February 6, 2024
Exclusive Health Dubai hospitals are ailing in saturated healthcare market The general healthcare sector in Dubai is buckling under saturation, with weaker operators shutting down or battling financial woes, Dr Azad Moopen, the founder and chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, told AGBI. The healthcare sector in the emirate faces a challenging economic climate, marked by stubborn inflation, high interest rates and slow growth. The introduction […] February 6, 2024
Tech Saudi startup’s infrared tech has ‘game-changing’ potential A Saudi Arabian startup’s pioneering research will slash the cost of infrared sensors, enabling them to be used in a myriad of day-to-day applications and accelerating the development of fully autonomous vehicles, its founder told AGBI. Osman Bakr, founder and chairman of Quantum Solutions, is also head of the functional nanomaterials laboratory at Kaust (King […] February 4, 2024
Leisure & Hospitality Arabic publishers pushing writers to aim for lucrative prizes Publishing houses are pressuring Arabic authors to produce novels that will win prestigious book prizes or be turned into TV dramas and films, writers and publishers said at a literary festival in Dubai this week. Arabic publishing has become a lucrative industry for those shortlisted for the Abu Dhabi-funded International Prize for Arabic Fiction – […] February 2, 2024
Business of Sport Sobha Realty strikes sponsorship deal with Arsenal Dubai real estate developer Sobha Realty has secured the naming rights for the training ground of English Premier League football club Arsenal. Arsenal’s facility in Hertfordshire will be known as the Sobha Realty Training Centre. It is the first time the naming rights have been sold. The deal is part of Sobha’s plan to expand […] February 2, 2024
Opinion Media & Advertising ‘Street of Shame’ can’t lecture about editorial independence Desire of media owners to influence the content of their publications is as old as the hills February 2, 2024
Analysis Health Gulf embraces a personalised approach to healthcare The Gulf is shifting towards a more personalised approach to healthcare, but the growth of the sector faces challenges in terms of talent and data management according to experts. Traditional medicine tends to address only the initial health issues without tailoring solutions to the unique requirements of each patient, says Vadim Fedotov, CEO of Bioniq, […] February 1, 2024
Leisure & Hospitality Fitness brands shape up for Saudi expansion plans GymNation, founded in Dubai, has revealed plans to open 50 new fitness centres in Saudi Arabia as it seeks to capitalise on the kingdom’s billion-dollar fitness industry. The mid-market brand was set up six years ago and currently operates 11 gyms in the emirate, with a further six set to open before the summer. Founder […] February 1, 2024
Health Training and tech to tackle healthcare staff shortage Technology and training combined can aid the impending recruitment crisis in UAE healthcare, experts say. Globally there will be an estimated shortfall of 10 million workers in the industry by 2030, primarily in low and middle income countries, according to the World Economic Forum. The UAE has not been spared. Research from Colliers showed there […] February 1, 2024
Opinion Education Dubai v Dublin: UAE and Ireland battle for teachers Irish teachers are in demand both in the Gulf and at home January 31, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Health Dubai mulling ratings for hospital performance, says Aster founder Dubai is considering the introduction of performance ratings for healthcare providers, Dr Azad Moopen, the founder and chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, has told AGBI. The system would allow operators to adjust their insurance tariffs – the prices that insurers agree to pay for medical services or procedures – based on their classification, providing an […] January 31, 2024
Health Gulf could have drone healthcare delivery by 2026 Drone delivery technology transporting healthcare materials such as blood samples, vaccines and pharmaceuticals is likely to take to the skies across the Gulf within the next two years. A test programme between Siemens Healthineers and the German drone manufacturer Wingcopter in Kenya is due to come to a conclusion in the next two and a […] January 31, 2024
Media & Advertising Saudi TV fights off the smartphone challenge Smart television is holding up as the main platform for accessing sports, news and entertainment in Saudi Arabia, despite the boom in streaming services that can be watched on smartphones, a leading media researcher said this week. “In the past decade there was a lot of transformation in Saudi. New devices, behaviours and trends,” said […] January 30, 2024
Health Saudi university developing AI for early diabetes detection King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) said this week it is working with Saudi company AmplifAI Health to develop AI technology for use in the early detection of diabetes. Saudi Arabia and the UAE in particular are investing in health technologies that can predict medical risk and help develop medicines, and the kingdom […] January 30, 2024
People & Lifestyle Pure Health buys Abu Dhabi hospital stake for $150m A subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s Pure Health Holding has agreed to acquire Mayo Clinic’s shares in Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City for $150 million. Under the agreement, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) will acquire 25,000 shares, or 25 percent, of the total issued shares of Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Pure Health said in a statement […] January 30, 2024
People & Lifestyle Dubai Investments buys stake in fertility company Dubai Investments has acquired an equity stake of 34.3 percent in Global Fertility Partners, a network of fertility and reproductive genetics centres in the Middle East. GFP will get $60 million in equity financing to expand its network of fertility and women’s health centres across the Middle East and North Africa. Investors and family offices […] January 29, 2024
People & Lifestyle Kuwait and Bahrain propose changes to working week Lawmakers in Kuwait and Bahrain are pushing for major amendments to the working week, aiming to improve workers’ rights and boost the work-life balance in the two Gulf states. In Bahrain, the focus is on extending the weekend to three days: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “There is an urgent need to keep pace with global […] January 29, 2024
Media & Advertising Tihama shareholders call for vote to oust board members Shareholders in the troubled media conglomerate Tihama are calling for a vote to dismiss members of the board. The company, which operates WH Smith shops in Saudi Arabia, said in a filing to the Saudi Stock Exchange that it had received a letter from a group of shareholders who collectively own 10 percent of the […] January 29, 2024
Opinion Health How tech is reinventing regional healthcare Local governments are leveraging AI to shape the future of medicine January 29, 2024
Employment Dubai’s $136m boost to drive global growth of SMEs Dubai has allocated AED500 million ($136.13 million) to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with ambitions to scale up globally. The initiative was launched in partnership with Emirates NBD, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. The Dubai international growth initiative will support the global expansion of SMEs founded in the emirate, Dubai Crown Prince […] January 29, 2024
