Scanning people for infections, followed by tracking of positive patients via online platforms, has played an instrumental role in the successful handling of the pandemic by the UAE. In the information age, collection and analysis of data has been crucial for most digital sectors including fintech, healthtech and e-commerce.

Keeping an eye on the health of patients not only allows doctors to stay up to speed with their progress, but it also acts as a resource for research to prepare for outbreaks in the future. Showing awareness about the rising importance of data in healthtech, leading Emirati telco Etisalat has created a cloud storage platform for electric medical records.

The integrated reservoir of information, will act as a one stop solution for medical pros and hospitals to access updates about an individual's health instantly. Real-time sharing of this knowledge can also facilitate personalised care for each citizen, to ensure top-notch medical services in the UAE.

Apart from being a shot in the arm for the country's healthcare infrastructure, the initiative by Etisalat is also in line with the government's vision of a unified digital medical record for every Emirati. The solution which connects all verified clinics to a single, safe database, also expects to bring 3000 healthcare facilities in the UAE on board for seamless flow of patient info.

The foray into healthtech is part of Etisalat's expansion which has led to the launch of an integrated suit of online tools for businesses to grow. The firm which is known for one of the fastest data connections globally, is also laying the foundation to introduce 6G in the region.

Thanks to glitch-free internet services and swift digitisation, the UAE is also testing medtech solutions like smart ambulances that relay real-time patient data to hospitals. Even the tremendous rise of telemedicine for remote consultations in the country, has been possible due to connectivity and easy availability of medical records.