A historic agreement was signed today between Apex National Investment, a major investment company based in the UAE’s capital, and the Sheba Medical Center, the largest hospital facility in Israel.
The agreement was signed by APEX National Investment Chairman, His Excellency Khalifa Yousef Khouri, and Dr. Eyal Zimlichman, Deputy Director-General and Chief Medical Officer of the Sheba Medical Center, alongside Yoel Har Even, Vice President of the International Division and Resource Development, on behalf of Professor Yitshak Kreiss, Director-General of the facility. The signing took place at an online ceremony hosted in Abu Dhabi in the presence of key personnel, VIPs and dignitaries from both sides, and was also witnessed by John Rakolta Jr., The Ambassador of the United States of America in the UAE. This significant event was simulcast live from the UAE and the Sheba Medical Center to an invited online global audience.
According to the terms of the agreement, the two parties will be cooperating on a series of key medical challenges, including the battle against COVID-19, medical education and research, medical tourism, and the future of hospital care.
A key part of the agreement will be a collaborative project known as the “Gulf Initiative”, based on Sheba Medical Center’s “ARC” (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) model to incorporate innovation into medical centers and new digital health technologies into the healthcare ecosystem.
APEX and ARC plan to gather healthcare data from the UAE, Israel, and other partners through ARC’s big data and computational capabilities, and then integrate international technologies with partners and customers via specially created tailored programs.
The two parties had initially announced an MoU to develop collaborative efforts on 10th September, when APEX National Investment Chairman, H.E. Khalifa Khoury, referred to the notable agreement as a reflection of the extent of the two countries’ interest in developing and reaching the highest standards in the field of health to serve the people in the region, as well as an extension of both states efforts in developing cutting-edge innovation in the medical field.
Sheba Medical Center’s Director-General, Professor Yitshak Kreiss, said that the hospital was proud to be the first Israeli hospital to sign such an historic agreement with a renowned company in the UAE. He went on to say that he believed the agreement will change the dynamics of healthcare and innovation in the UAE, and act as a indication of peace and prosperity in the Gulf region and beyond, where, he added, hope knows no boundaries.
APEX National Investment is an Abu Dhabi-based investment company specializing in the field of public investments, including the healthcare sector, with a dedicated focus on establishing field hospitals at maximum speed and equipping them with the necessary high-standard equipment. The company also contributes to creating solutions to implement precautionary measures necessitated by the spread of Coronavirus, in addition to gathering field data to support laboratories with their research and studies to develop the desired vaccine to fight the Coronavirus pandemic.
Newsweek magazine recently named the Sheba Medical Center among the 10 best hospitals in the world for the second consecutive year.