Page 85 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention Launches First Blockchain-Based

System

UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention to develop smart systems, provide the best help improve data and information
(MoHAP) has launched the first smart e-services, ensure the happiness validation and consistency, which in turn
blockchain-based system to save of customers and implement TRA provides a high level of transparency and
and share assessment information of standards, smart government enablers, trust in the healthcare services sector.
health professionals, including doctors, and the United Nations E–Government With immutable data, all health providers
pharmacists and technicians, with local Development Index” Al Ketbi added. He can access reliable information and help
licensing health authorities. stressed that the innovative project will take appropriate decisions, automate
• The smart system comes in line with support the Emirates Blockchain Strategy workflow processes electronically, improve
Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021 2021, which aims to capitalize on the customer and employee experience,
• The sophisticated platform to create blockchain technology to transform 50 and boost operational performance”
unhackable & unchangeable distinctive per cent of government transactions into Mubaraka Ibrahim highlighted. She
imprint of digital data a blockchain-based platform by 2021. added that the ministry is working to
• The unmatched system reduces This can be done through recording and develop e-health services according to
operational costs and paper documenting digital transactions using the smart government enablers’ index.
transactions, upgrades the digital blockchain technology, besides allocating It is mapping out operational plans to
security of national data a distinctive imprint of digital data that integrate digital technologies with smart
The smart system, which will cover cannot be hacked or changed. This huge applications, and improve the quality,
healthcare workers in public and private development would increase the level of safety and efficiency of healthcare, based
health facilities overseen by the Ministry, digital security of national data, reduce on the big data management, predictive
will help reduce resource consumption operational costs, paper transactions, and models and blockchain technologies. “The
in terms of time and cost, and improve speed up the decision-making process, Information Technology department at
efficiency and data integrity. Awad Saghir enhance the safety of patients and provide the ministry is looking forward to further
Al Ketbi, Assistant Undersecretary of the effective and efficient healthcare services. improvements and developments to
Support Services Sector, said: “The Ministry For her part, Mubaraka Ibrahim, Director enhance the role of blockchain in licensing
has successfully developed the necessary of Information Technology at the ministry health professionals, and updating health
infrastructure for a blockchain-based said: “The blockchain technology offers workers’ data when obtaining a new
decentralized database. In the first stage, a variety of benefits and advantages, certificate or practice. The blockchain
we will link the evaluation of health workers including a decentralized database in which technology can also be used to create
system with public and private health the stored data becomes unchangeable. a blacklist of doctors who violated the
authorities and other relevant institutions The decentralized database delivers a high standards of the profession, in addition to
to create a single digital platform with security level, in addition to an encryption building a register of medicines licensed
an access to the portfolio of health feature to verify the authenticity and and other features that contribute to
professionals. “The sophisticated platform reliability of transactions, as data cannot improving the digital healthcare system”,
comes in line with the ministry’s strategy be deleted, modified or lost. “It will also Mubaraka Ibrahim concluded.

Omantel Welcomes Entry of Third Mobile Operator

Oman Telecommunications Company of the country’s telecommunications “Entry of the third mobile operator will
(Omantel) has welcomed the entry of the market,’ Vodafone said in a statement. In contribute to offering wider choices to
third mobile operator to the sultanate a press statement released by Omantel, customers, a key focus area that has been
saying it will provide more choices its chief executive officer Talal al Mamari given utmost priority by Omantel since its
to consumers. The global telecom welcomed the step taken by Oman Future launch,” the statement quoted Mamari as
giant Vodafone announced a strategic Telecom to sign a partnership agreement saying. Industry experts believe that the
partnership agreement with Oman Future with Vodafone and the expected launch of entry of the third operator in the country
Telecommunications (OFT) to enter the the third mobile operator service next year. could provide more choices to consumers
sultanate’s telecom market. ‘Under the Mamari reiterated Omantel’s commitment and it will also result in increased
non-equity agreement, both companies to support the development of the telecom competition among telecom companies
will work together to roll out a new mobile sector in the sultanate by offering its robust thus putting additional pressure on
network and develop a number of new and widespread infrastructure as well as margins of telecom companies.
services using the Vodafone brand in Oman capacities through Omantel’s extensive
to drive the next stage in the development international network of submarine cables.

85 SEPTEMBER 2019