Abu Dhabi Health Authority launches the Center of Excellence for Rare Diseases

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the regulatory body for the healthcare sector in the emirate, “AstraZeneca” and “Pure Health” signed a memorandum of understanding during the Biotechnology Innovation Organization 2026 World Conference in San Diego, USA, to launch the Center of Excellence for Rare Diseases in Abu Dhabi.

The center will be a leading platform for diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, scientific research, education and patient care, with a special focus on rare disorders related to metabolism, kidney and blood diseases. By bringing together the efforts of doctors, researchers and health system partners, the center aims to set a new standard of care for rare diseases in the region. It also seeks to reduce the social and economic burdens of some of these disease conditions on families, communities and healthcare systems, to represent a practical model that embodies the smart life sciences system in Abu Dhabi, by accelerating the transformation of scientific discoveries into tangible health results for patients on the ground.

Executive Director of the Health Life Sciences Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Dr. Asma Ibrahim Al Mannai, said: “The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi has a well-established strategic partnership with both AstraZeneca and Pure Health, and today we are pleased to activate the Center of Excellence for Rare Diseases in partnership with them. By benefiting from the integrated Abu Dhabi healthcare and life sciences system, and from the scientific and operational capabilities of our partners, this partnership will contribute to accelerating innovation in the areas of early detection, diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. And by uniting the efforts of the various partners within As an integrated system, this initiative will contribute to improving care for rare diseases and improving the quality of life of patients, thus strengthening the smart life sciences system in Abu Dhabi and consolidating the emirate’s position as a leading global center for innovation in life sciences.”

Sameh Al-Fanjari, President of AstraZeneca for the Al Khali Region, said: “Rare diseases may not receive sufficient attention because they affect relatively limited numbers of individuals, but their impact on patients and their families is profound, and their cumulative repercussions on societies are large and profound. By uniting our efforts with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and PureHealth, we can combine science capable of achieving qualitative change and global expertise on the one hand, and the world-class advanced health system in the emirate on the other hand, to make a real difference in the lives of patients.” Our shared goal is to ensure access to care for all patients, and that every patient receives the correct diagnosis as soon as possible, and the appropriate care for as long as they need.”

This agreement is directly based on the memorandum of understanding signed by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and AstraZeneca during the 2026 Biotechnology Innovation Organization World Conference to establish a Center of Excellence for Rare Diseases in Abu Dhabi, a partnership that aimed to benefit from the advanced health infrastructure in the emirate, including the Emirati Genome Programme, in addition to the global expertise that AstraZeneca possesses in the field of rare disease management. The tripartite agreement signed today represents an advanced step in translating this commitment into practical reality through the inclusion of “PureHealth” as a partner to operate the center.

Shaista Asif, CEO of PureHealth Group, added: “Every person with a rare disease, and every member of his family, faces great difficulties represented by the length of the diagnosis journey, the ambiguity of its details, and the challenges that accompany it. Therefore, changing this reality requires more than just achieving clinical excellence, as it requires the presence of institutions that unite their efforts to achieve a common goal, which is to facilitate this experience and enhance its efficiency. Today, we at “PureHealth” are proud of our partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and “AstraZeneca.” To activate a center of excellence that combines high expertise and high innovation capacity, along with close cooperation, which ultimately enhances the effectiveness of rare disease care in the UAE. Together, we are moving towards consolidating the foundations of qualitative capabilities, a close partnership, and an integrated model of care necessary to improve the lives of patients living with rare diseases, thus enhancing our mark in creating the future of specialized health care.”

Under the memorandum of understanding, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, “PureHealth” and “AstraZeneca” will cooperate on several main axes, including activating the center as a focal point for rare disease care, developing an integrated model for diagnosis, treatment and lifelong care, ensuring patients’ access to specialized services in an adequate and sustainable manner without interruption, enhancing scientific research and clinical trials and producing evidence based on real-world practice, in addition to education, training and capacity building to enhance local medical expertise, and establishing a joint governance framework for supervision and sharing of responsibilities throughout the period of cooperation.

This cooperation combines the scientific capabilities and global presence of AstraZeneca, the qualitative operational expertise that PureHealth enjoys in the healthcare system in the UAE, in addition to the pioneering organizational role and strategic vision of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi in consolidating the emirate’s position as a global center for life sciences and medical innovation. Through this cooperation, the three partners will work to redraw the path of rare disease care in the emirate, and build a model that benefits patients in the region and beyond.