Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025 readies to welcome global health leaders

Abu Dhabi's rolling out the red carpet for the world's top health minds. From April 15 to 17, 2025, the city will play host to the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week (ADGHW), drawing in over 200 speakers and more than 15,000 visitors from across the globe. Backed by the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the event promises three days of open, honest talks and collective action to rethink the way we see health and well-being.

Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary at Abu Dhabi's Department of Health, summed it up perfectly: "By uniting government, industry and academia, we are creating an environment where transformative ideas can thrive, and global solutions can emerge to fuel breakthrough discoveries that will shape the future of healthcare."

How will it work?

ADGHW 2025 isn't about people talking at you — it's about people talking with each other.

Here's what's on the menu:

• Forum@ADGHW: A global stage where leaders from government, business, academia, and research join forces to hash out healthcare's most pressing problems.
• Startup Zone: A playground for young companies to show off their big ideas to hungry investors. Winners of the Smart Health Hackathon will get their moment in the spotlight.
• Innovation Awards: Shining a well-deserved light on those pushing boundaries in healthcare innovation and collaboration.

What's more, the event revolves around four red-hot themes:

• Longevity & Precision Health
• Health System Resilience & Sustainability
• Digital Health & AI
• Investment in Life Sciences

It's all designed to spark new partnerships, share knowledge, and fast-track the future of medicine.

Why does it matter?

Because the future of health isn't going to build itself.

Abu Dhabi is betting big on precision health, cutting-edge diagnostics, and AI-driven treatments. And they're not just dreaming — they're doing. By bringing together this brain trust of policymakers, researchers, investors, and healthcare disruptors, the emirate aims to tackle everything from extending lifespans to making healthcare smarter and more sustainable.

Dr. Al Ghaithi nailed it when she said: "With its advanced infrastructure, diverse population, and deep investments in life sciences, Abu Dhabi is uniquely positioned to pioneer precision health, accelerate innovation, and build a healthier, more resilient future for all."

That's the big picture: less talk, more action, and a whole lot of collaboration to make healthcare work better for everyone.

The context

This event isn't popping up out of nowhere. ADGHW is a flagship initiative from the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, part of the city's bigger push to put itself on the map as a leader in global health.

The speaker lineup reads like a who's who of health heavyweights:

• Anil Soni, CEO of the WHO Foundation
• Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC
• Dr. Nir Barzilai, head of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Michel Demaré, Chair of AstraZeneca
• Sir Jonathan Symonds, Chair of the Board at GSK
• Jacob Thaysen, CEO of Illumina
• Elena Bonfiglioli, Global Business Leader at Microsoft
• Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic, CEO of Cleveland Clinic

And let's not forget the health ministers from Bahrain, Egypt, Nepal, and the Hellenic Republic, all set to join the conversation.

Abu Dhabi's healthcare system is already one of the region's crown jewels, known for its fast-paced growth and data-driven services. Now, with ADGHW 2025, they're taking it to the next level — weaving together science, tech, and human ingenuity to reshape healthcare for the better.