A Testimonial of the Emirate’s position as a life science hub
Abu Dhabi: As a further testament of Abu Dhabi’s pioneering role in the healthcare sector and the Emirate’s position as a hub for innovation in life science in the region, the Regional Reference Lab for Infectious Disease (RLID-AD) of Purelab, a subsidiary of PureHealth the region’s largest integrated healthcare platform, has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for its contributions to strengthening laboratory capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The RLID-AD, also known as the Surveillance Lab, received the honour at the 3rd Scientific Conference of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance (EMARIS) Network, held recently in Muscat. The lab played a key role in the region’s ability to detect and track infectious diseases, particularly during COVID.
During the pandemic, RLID-AD received international repute for its support in sequencing SARS-CoV-2 virus strains. The lab provided sequencing capacity to different countries which have limited lab resources and expertise, enabling the detection and surveillance of circulating strains in these countries.
This most recent recognition comes in line with Abu Dhabi’s efforts throughout the pandemic, as it was recognised as the world’s top pandemic-resilient city, by Deep Knowledge Analytics (DKA), a London-based DeepTech analytical subsidiary of Deep Knowledge Group (DKG), for two years in a row between 2020 and 2022. The recognition reflects the emirate’s comprehensive, efficient and timely COVID-19 pandemic response that reinforced Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector as a leading model regionally and internationally.
On this occasion, HE Dr Farida Al Hosani the Executive Director of the Infectious Disease Sector at Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, said: “This recognition is an important reflection of our commitment to the people of Abu Dhabi, to whom we promised we would deliver world-class health practice and a result of collaborative work between ADPHC and RLID-AD to expand testing capabilities that have proven its worth during the pandemic. We are honored to be part of this recognition and will continue to strengthen our surveillance and testing for infectious diseases. We believe that this is a key component of infectious diseases preparedness plans.”
Arindam Haldar, Chief Executive Officer of Purelab, expressed his pride in the recognition and said: “At Purelab, we are committed to improving public health outcomes and are honored to receive this recognition from the WHO. This falls in line with the directives, vision, and commitment of the PureHealth Group to provide the best standards of laboratory and diagnostic services to shape medical outcomes. This recognition is an endorsement of the standards set at a Group level. We will continue to strengthen the laboratory capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and support our partners in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases.”
Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Zain Al Yafei, Chief Medical Officer at Purelab, added: “At RLID-AD, we are focused on providing cutting-edge laboratory services to ensure the highest quality of patient care in the region. We are grateful for this recognition from the WHO, as it motivates us to continue our efforts in providing high-quality laboratory services to help control and prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the region. This recognition, achieved under PureHealth’s directions, strengthens our commitment to support the global health community and respond to public health emergencies.”
Ever since it was designated as the National Influenza Center in 2017, RLID-AD has played a critical role in establishing influenza surveillance at a national level and has collaborated with WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, helping in detecting and preventing the spread of influenza strains in the region.
The RLID-AD has also played a central role in providing genomic sequencing support, enabling countries to conduct viral genome sequencing. The lab has collaborated with partners to organise two WHO workshops in Abu Dhabi to train scientists from the region in this technology.
Purelab and RLID-AD are dedicated to continuing to work collaboratively with national and international partners to improve laboratory capacity and support the monitoring and surveillance of infectious diseases in the region.
As part of its commitment to improving the average health spans and promoting a healthier lifestyle in Abu Dhabi and the UAE in line with its Science of Longevity, PureHealth is working with its group companies on leveraging technology and data to embed optimal health solutions to help people live longer, healthier, happier, and fuller lives.
PureHealth operates 25+ hospitals, 100+ clinics, 160+ labs, multiple diagnostic centres, insurance solutions, pharmacies, health tech, procurement, investments, and related businesses in the UAE, and is committed to delivering outcome-focused, world-class quality across all channels of healthcare with a mandate to futureproofing the healthcare system locally and beyond.
