Sustainable development is increasingly influencing various industries, and healthcare is no exception. This shift not only impacts healthcare practices but also presents opportunities for companies to capitalize on this growing trend; thus, understanding how sustainability factors into healthcare can help organizations enhance their strategies and contribute to a more sustainable future.
This is the topic explored in the second panel discussion titled “Sustainable Healthcare Development: Balancing Growth with Environmental and Social Responsibility” at The Filipino Times Watchlist: Top Healthcare Professionals in the Middle East Summit, which featured Aaryan Kapur, Group Head – Digital Marketing, Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres; Aysha Ali Ahmed Al Mahri, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Burjeel Medical City; and Dr. Jennifer Jackson, Director, Government Affairs and Policy- MEA, AstraZeneca.
Moderated by Dr. Karen Remo, the speakers discussed how government leadership in the Middle East is promoting sustainable healthcare practices, including initiatives to reduce healthcare-related environmental impact, promote public health awareness, and ensure equitable access to healthcare services across urban and rural areas.
In her opening presentation, Dr. Remo noted that this year, the healthcare landscape in the Middle East has been characterized by rapid expansion and modernization, fuelled by both public and private investments.
For instance, GCC countries are expected to see healthcare spending rise to approximately 5% of their GDP by the end of 2024, reflecting both population growth and an increased focus on improving healthcare infrastructure. Further, by 2024, over 30% of new hospitals and healthcare facilities in the GCC are expected to seek green building certifications, such as the LEED, in line with the broader efforts to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.
“The focus on sustainable healthcare development is not just a response to global environmental concerns but also a strategic move to promote long-term health equity and economic stability in the region,” she said.
Dr. Remo invited the panelists to discuss the impact of sustainable healthcare projects on both environmental sustainability and healthcare delivery particularly in the Middle East.
“We need to understand the balance between the quality outcome of the patient that should not be jeopardized with the approach that we are doing in sustainability,” emphasized Ms. Al Mahri.
She noted three important things through which this can be done — sustainable procurement and waste management approaches and the use of artificial intelligence to provide care for the patient at home.
“We are seeing many patients coming from Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain going to Abu Dhabi… If I can afford the care for those patients through the advanced AI, then it will go that way. The outcome you may not see today, but you are going to five years later. This is an important, quick win that we can do in the hospital sector,” she said, highlighting the significant role of telemedicine and advanced AI technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For his part, Mr. Kapur said that the new generation is inherently focused on sustainability, emphasizing the importance of achieving carbon-zero emissions and creating a better future.
“Consumer-first approach is what we go by, followed by the government… inclusions also on a global level. Many initiatives have been taken that point to this direction. So hence, we are obviously moving in that direction,” Mr. Kapur said.
He referred to how telemedicine has been booming post-COVID. “We launched a campaign during COVID where we said, ‘stay home, stay safe.’ But after that, it turned more from a sustainability angle, wherein you can actually reduce your travel time, fuel costs, fuel emissions, and hence attain a carbon zero footprint.”
Dr. Remo then turned to Dr. Jackson to ask how sustainability is being integrated into manufacturing, distribution, and waste management practices among pharmaceutical companies.
“Sustainability is a core part of everything we do at AstraZeneca. We actually have the Ambition Net Zero, which we hope to achieve by 2045. And by 2026, we’re on track to see a 98% reduction in our Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions… We’re adopting biomass as a new energy source that’s now in factories,” said Dr. Jackson.
She also explained that, just as importantly, their work at AstraZeneca involves collaborating effectively with their partners.
“Definitely, sustainability is the key forward,” she concluded.
The second edition of The Filipino Times Watchlist: Top Healthcare Professionals in the Middle East Summit, organized by the New Perspective Media Group, gathered together under one roof industry leaders, experts, and professionals from both the public and private healthcare sectors at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek.
