Lunit to deploy its AI-powered mammography tool to UAE’s SEHA

In a move that could shift the tides of early cancer detection, South Korean health-tech firm Lunit just inked a major deal with the UAE's largest public healthcare network, SEHA. The five-year contract greenlights the rollout of Lunit's AI-powered mammography tool — Lunit INSIGHT MMG — across 14 hospitals and over 70 clinics. It's a big swing, set to screen more than 100,000 mammograms.

As Lunit's CEO Brandon Suh puts it, "This long-term partnership underscores the trust SEHA places in our AI-driven solutions." And in this case, trust might just save lives.

How will it work?

At the heart of the deal is Lunit INSIGHT MMG, a smart-as-a-whip AI system built to spot signs of breast cancer in mammograms faster and more accurately than a pair of tired human eyes.

Here's what it does:

• Scans and analyzes mammography images with precision
• Flags abnormalities, suspicious regions, and early indicators of breast cancer
• Supports radiologists with instant, data-backed insights to streamline decision-making

In a nutshell, it's a digital second opinion — except this one doesn't blink, take lunch breaks, or miss a beat.

SEHA tested the waters with a pilot back in 2022. The results? Promising enough to warrant a full-blown, countrywide rollout. Lunit's tech passed with flying colors, and now, it's got a national mandate.

Why does it matter?

Breast cancer doesn't wait. And early detection is everything. But in busy clinics, with overloaded staff and limited resources, things can slip through the cracks. That's where AI steps in.

This move isn't just about tech for tech's sake — it's about scale, speed, and saving lives. By plugging AI into SEHA's workflow, doctors can:

• Spot issues earlier, often before symptoms show
• Cut down on misdiagnoses and second-guessing
• Reach more women in more places, including underserved regions

As Suh says, "By leveraging Lunit's cutting-edge AI, SEHA can enhance its radiology workflow, ultimately improving patient outcomes."

The context

This partnership is more than a business deal — it's part of a larger national push. The UAE government has long been bullish on digital transformation, and healthcare is a major piece of the puzzle.

• SEHA sits under PureHealth, the largest integrated health platform in the Middle East.
• The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention runs annual breast cancer awareness campaigns, underscoring the urgency of routine screening.
• The AI healthcare market in the Middle East is heating up fast — expected to balloon from $200 million in 2024 to up to $1.5 billion in the next few years.

Zoom in on the UAE, and the picture's even clearer: the country's AI-in-healthcare sector is projected to hit nearly $138 million by 2030, growing at a dizzying pace of 34.6% per year.