Abu Dhabi uses AI to predict diabetes and cancer risk, boost life expectancy

Abu Dhabi is using artificial intelligence to help residents live longer, healthier lives by predicting the risk of diseases like diabetes and cancer even before symptoms appear.

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) has rolled out an AI-powered patient risk profile across all hospitals and clinics, enabling doctors to make early interventions based on lifelong medical data.

Three-pillar healthcare strategy

The move is part of the emirate’s three-pillar healthcare strategy focused on longevity, best-in-class care, and system resilience.

Talking about the initiative during Gitex Global 2025, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 13 to 17, Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Executive Director of Digital Health at DoH Abu Dhabi, told Khaleej Times, “In Abu Dhabi we have something we call a patient risk profile. This looks for 14 different diseases, such as the probability of somebody getting diabetes or different types of cancers, and it tells the physician, based on the patient that's right in front of you, what is their probability of getting this disease… it informs the physician, and it also gives the physician more information — what lab tests, what recent visits gave the indication to the AI use case that this person has a medium probability of diabetes.”

How does the tool work?

The tool analyses data drawn from an individual’s entire health record since birth, identifying subtle patterns even humans might miss.

“Now the luxury is it scans their entire health record since they were born. It looks at trends that even humans wouldn't be able to catch. But what it allows for is physicians, and doctors are able to use this information, understand why it's recommending in this way, and then start treating patients before it happens. The result — people live longer, healthier lives, because you catch these things earlier.”

Al Jallaf emphasised that AI is meant to support, not replace, doctors.

“Artificial intelligence is there to support the physician. It's very important that we have explainability in the model. If it says this person has a medium risk, it tells the physician why. It doesn't act on behalf of the physician — instead, it allows the physician to use their knowledge and understanding… to say… medium risk because of these different indicators, yes or no, and how do I incorporate that into my treatment plan? So, our physicians are of utmost importance here. It's about equipping them with the best tools they can to do their job even better.”

The system is fully integrated across the healthcare network, ensuring seamless data access for every patient.

“100 per cent of our hospitals and clinics are connected to the patient risk portal… through what we call a physician portal. The second thing is, if you go and visit a doctor for the first time ever, even if you've never been to this hospital before, they have your entire 360 record because of Malaffi, our health information exchange, and they have the patient risk profile with the risk model, even though it's your first time you're having this conversation. It's covered 100 per cent of the population. So, every single person in Abu Dhabi has actually (covered under) this risk model on them.”

What language models does it use?

Abu Dhabi’s AI ecosystem also includes large language models designed to assist doctors in real time.

“We have two main LLMs that are live across the ecosystem. One is an intelligent physician assistant — basically for the individual in front of you. The physicians are able to type, when was their latest blood test, are there any anomalies? And it scans their entire health record, and it brings what's most relevant to that physician up above. The entire point is, when a physician's there with you, it's about them being able to focus on you and optimize their time on you.”

He added, “The second one is actually recently released. It's an AI. It's within Sahatna (a mobile app that integrates healthcare and wellness services) it's an AI module that asks that you're allowed to ask any questions about yourself. So, the individual can better understand the healthcare sector in natural language.”

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