UAE Ministry of Health launches Blockchain platform for health professionals

The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, has launched the first blockchain based system to save and share the assessment information of health professionals, including doctors, pharmacists and technicians with local licensing health authorities, which will help reduce the time and cost and improve efficiency and data integrity.

The smart system will cover healthcare workers in public and private health facilities overseen by the Ministry. Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, Assistant Under Secretary of the Support Services Sector, said, "The Ministry has successfully developed the necessary infrastructure for a blockchain based decentralised database. In the first stage, we will link the system of evaluation of health workers with public and private health authorities and other relevant institutions to create a single digital platform with access to the portfolio of health professionals."

He stressed that the innovative project will support the Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021, which aims to capitalise on the blockchain technology to transform 50 percent of government transactions into a blockchain-based platform by 2021.

Mubaraka Ibrahim, Director of Information Technology at the Ministry, said, "The blockchain technology offers a variety of benefits and advantages, including a decentralised database in which the stored data becomes unchangeable." "It will also help improve data and information validation and consistency, which in turn provides a high level of transparency and trust in the healthcare services sector. With immutable data, all health providers can access reliable information and take appropriate decisions, automate workflow processes electronically, improve the experience of customers and employees, and boost operational performance," she added.

She further added that the ministry is working to develop e-health services according to the smart government enablers' index. It is mapping out operational plans to integrate digital technologies with smart applications, and improve the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare, based on big data management, predictive models and blockchain technologies.