ABU DHABI, 10th November, 2026 (WAM) -- Burjeel Holdings highlighted the UAE’s experience in strengthening healthcare readiness and the importance of developing partnerships between military institutions and private-sector healthcare providers, including joint training, innovation and the exchange of operational expertise.
Speaking during a main dialogue session at the 46th World Congress of Military Medicine, Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and CEO of Burjeel Holdings, stressed the importance of expanding cooperation between the military and civilian sectors beyond traditional service contracts to include medical capacity-building, training and operational readiness.
He said working with military institutions has contributed to developing the Group’s approach to leadership, logistics and decision-making under pressure.
Vayalil said developments in operating environments, the multiple uses of technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence, and challenges related to the security of interconnected healthcare systems are creating new requirements for medical services.
He said these developments require resilient supply chains, clear chains of command and the ability to maintain operations even when communications are disrupted.
Vayalil added that strengthening readiness and long-term resilience requires healthcare institutions to prepare for different disruptions and challenges, noting that the UAE has demonstrated the importance of both in recent times.
On medical education, he stressed the importance of using AI to enhance the efficiency of physicians and healthcare professionals and support their decision-making capabilities.
He also called for the development of medical education methods and the integration of AI applications into curricula from the earliest stages rather than adding them later to existing educational models.
Vayalil said Burjeel is working to reimagine the concept of medical schools and medical education models to keep pace with technological transformation.
He stressed the importance of balancing the use of modern technologies with preserving the human role of physicians, expressing confidence in the UAE’s ability to lead the development of medical education while maintaining clinical judgement, human values and compassion for patients as core elements of medical practice.
Regarding military-civilian partnerships, Vayalil called for cooperation to be expanded to include the exchange of operational expertise, strengthening disaster-medicine capabilities, developing medical logistics, scientific research and technology, and training healthcare professionals.
He said such cooperation would help improve the efficiency of responses to emergencies.
Vayalil added that Burjeel’s operations across around 17 countries have helped build experience and capabilities that can be applied across different healthcare environments.
He said lessons learned from humanitarian operations have contributed to developing logistics and training and have guided the Group’s investment in specialised preparedness and response capabilities through Prometheus Medical International.
Vayalil expressed appreciation for the opportunities provided by the UAE and the approach established by its leadership, calling on private-sector healthcare institutions to use their expertise and capabilities to support broader readiness efforts and build sustainable capacities for responding effectively to future emergencies and crises while ensuring continuity of healthcare delivery.