New York:Future Health, a global initiative led by Abu Dhabi, brought together ministers and senior government officials from various countries alongside global health leaders in New York. The gathering took place on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly session, focusing on advancing health systems from reactive treatment to prediction, prevention, and earlier intervention.
According to Emirates News Agency , the high-level dialogue was chaired by Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention, and included participants from nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Angola, Brazil, Ethiopia, and several others. The discussions highlighted four essential requirements for health system transformation early risk identification through population data, financing and incentives for prevention, improved delivery capacity, and the development of trusted, inclusive systems.
The dialogue underscored the importance of national life-course screening, integrated data systems, and community health workers. It also emphasized decentralizing care and implementing policy actions on nutrition and healthier behaviors. Prevention was viewed as a crucial investment in human capital.
Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh stated that investing in prevention is investing in people and the future of societies. He emphasized the UAE's commitment to collaborating internationally to build resilient health systems.
The event, themed 'Redesigning Health Systems for Prediction, Prevention and Population Health Outcomes,' explored how scientific advances could be scaled from pilot projects to widespread implementation. It identified key barriers to prevention, including screening, referral, affordability, and accessibility issues.
Dr. Ahmed AlKhazraji, Executive Director of Healthy Living at the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, shared insights on the emirate's Healthy Living Strategy. He highlighted the importance of acting on health-influencing factors before clinical intervention, emphasizing efforts to make healthier choices accessible across communities, workplaces, and schools.
Dr. AlKhazraji also invited global leaders to continue the dialogue at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit scheduled for October 2026.