Inaugural WHX Tech opens with a focus on AI and humanity as attendees glimpse vision of healthcare future

WHX Tech 2025 was officially inaugurated by His Excellency Dr Alawi AlSheikh-Ali, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority

‘Human beings are the ones to lead AI, not the other way around’, attendees hear from speakers on packed-out World X Stage during opening day of WHX Tech

His Excellency Dr Amin Al Ameeri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Regulations Sector of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention

Dubai, UAE, 8 September 2025: The inaugural WHX Tech, a new platform for digital health innovation, officially got underway today at Dubai World Trade Centre with more than 200 expert speakers, 300 exhibitors, and an expected 5,000 global healthcare leaders to attend over the three-day event.

Running until September 10, the event was officially opened by His Excellency Dr Alawi AlSheikh-Ali, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, who highlighted that the first edition of WHX Tech reflects the rapid advancement of digital health technologies and their growing importance in shaping the future of the healthcare sector. He stressed the cutting-edge solutions presented at the three-day event will enhance healthcare services and improve patient outcomes, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, to cement Dubai’s position as a global hub for health innovation.

With only standing room remaining within a packed-out conference hall, His Excellency Dr Amin Al Ameeri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Regulations Sector of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, took to the World X stage to ask whether humans or AI will dictate the direction of future healthcare. He closed his speech by answering his own query before driving attendees to embrace the opportunity WHX Tech is providing.

“We say it’s the human being – the human being is the one to lead AI,” Al Ameeri concluded. “In Dubai, we value human beings, their brains, their ideas and innovations. What we need from you then is to bring all your beautiful ideas, all your innovations, all your technologies, to us. Our DNA is to adopt and host these new technologies together for the future of health and humanity.”

On the opening morning, Her Excellency Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, Director General at the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDA), also spoke about the ecosystem in place to fast track the number of UAE-made products reaching the market. A lover of fast cars, Dr Al Kaabi revealed the fast track process of the EDA – which was founded less than two years ago – is dubbed internally as “Turbo Track” and has already led to 23 innovative medicines being approved in 2025 alone.

“The EDA is using AI as a tool, not a replacement,” she said, citing how the calculator has helped widen and improve humans’ ability to do complex mathematics. “Humans will always be our No1 asset so, looking ahead, EDA will expand its AI capabilities, boost manufacturing investment, and deepen international cooperation, all while aligning with WHO maturity level four standards. EDA was created not just to regulate, but to empower and we see WHX Tech as a platform for partnerships that translate innovation into impact, ensuring better access, stronger resilience, and long-term health security for the UAE and beyond.”

Harold ‘Hal’ Wolf, president and CEO of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), discussed the transformation of the global health ecosystem, with a specific focus on the Middle East. “There’s nothing unique about the challenges here in the Middle East and in North Africa. The numbers are high for two reasons: 1) We have an aging population – that’s a good thing, but the longer people live, the higher the propensity for chronic disease. And 2) Our ability on a prevention level to understand and diagnose chronic disease continues to improve, so the numbers will grow even as our ecosystem gets healthier. AI and other technology tools [can help] give us the knowledge and operation leads we need to be successful.”

In a following session titled ‘Transforming Healthcare Access and Efficiency through Digital Innovation’, Shyam Bishen, Head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum, discussed how digital tools and platforms are improving healthcare delivery, insurance processes, and patient access in the Arab region.

“The MENA region is the world’s fastest-growing digital health market, with many unique strengths across various sectors, especially in digital health,” he said. “This includes strong government backing, with clear strategies for digital health transformation and significant public investment in a rapidly evolving digital economy, focusing heavily on the development of AI and data architecture and infrastructure.”

“However, achieving real progress in digital, data, and AI-driven healthcare to improve outcomes requires an ecosystem mindset. No single entity can drive the digital health renaissance alone. Stakeholders from all sectors need to collaborate to address the world’s most pressing healthcare challenges. A strong ecosystem can tackle deeply rooted problems and scale solutions more effectively than individual digital initiatives.”

Commenting on the alignment between the WHX Tech and Dubai’s healthcare journey, Peter Hall, President, IMEA, Informa Markets, said: “There is no better place to host the inaugural edition of this event than Dubai because of its unique position at the crossroads of East and West. It is a city that embodies innovation, ambition and progress — values perfectly aligned with the mission of WHX Tech. Focusing on thought leadership, connections, networking, and overall event experience, this event is a call to action, providing a space where global stakeholders can come together to discuss, debate, and solve complex issues in healthcare and technology.”

WHX Tech is held in strategic partnership with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), reinforcing its credibility and ensuring that its content aligns with the sector’s most pressing priorities.

For more information and to register interest in attending, visit: worldhealthexpo.com/events/healthcare/tech/en/home.html.

ENDS

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