The UAE Cabinet approved the establishment of the UAE Council for Integrative Medicine, a body tasked with combining modern medical practices with traditional healing and complementary therapies.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chaired the cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi.
He said the council’s mandate includes recognising alternative disciplines, developing complementary treatment protocols, raising awareness, and setting national guidelines. It will also build new capacities and specialisations in the field.
The council will be chaired by Sheikha Salama bint Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, who will oversee the creation of an evidence-based framework for delivering personalised and holistic healthcare. It will also shape national strategies, foster research and innovation, and encourage public-private partnerships to position the UAE as a leader in integrative medicine.
Alongside the new initiative, the Cabinet reviewed progress reports from other national councils.
The UAE Genomics Council has launched a premarital medical screening programme, trained more than 8,500 professionals, and enrolled over 750,000 participants in the National Genome Program. Officials said these efforts are helping strengthen the healthcare system and protect future generations from preventable diseases.
The Cabinet also approved the third edition of the National Plan to reduce emissions in the aviation sector, reaffirming the UAE’s commitment to international environmental agreements under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Additionally, the Cabinet reviewed the results of the UAE’s General Environmental Policy assessment, which covered updates to the National Green Agenda in 2023, the launch of the National Sustainable Agriculture Programme, and the “Plant the Emirates” initiative. These programmes are aimed at further integrating environmental goals into the country’s sectoral strategies.
Environmental protection, the Government Media Office said, remains a key pillar of the UAE’s sustainable development agenda.
