The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and The Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an have signed an agreement at Arab Health 2024 to direct community contributions towards the launch of a scientific research and development fund in Abu Dhabi.

With the aim of advancing the research infrastructure, the partnership seeks to finance research and innovation projects and conduct clinical trials aimed at enhancing the safety and wellbeing of Abu Dhabi’s community and beyond.

The strategic agreement was signed by Her Excellency Salama Al Ameemi, Director General of the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an, and Her Excellency Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), in the presence of His Excellency Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, and His Excellency Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), along with several representatives and directors from both entities.

The fund is the first collaborative effort between DoH and Ma’an is considered the region’s first fund to collect contributions directed towards healthcare and innovation within the healthcare sector, as it will be mobilising the private sector and the community’s contributions supporting various health issues. The contributions will be directed to research and scientific projects led by DoH and its partners in the field of research and development.

Over the next five years, the project seeks to attract the biggest number of participants, enhance research and innovation partnerships between the private sector and academic institutions, direct contributions towards supporting scientific research aimed at creating solutions that address arising health challenges, and raise the level of scientific research and innovation in Abu Dhabi in terms of quantity and quality. The fundraising campaign will focus on supporting a group of priority research and innovation efforts from various fields, which include gene and cell therapy research, cancer, rare diseases, infectious diseases, nervous system diseases, drug discoveries, and research based on big medical data and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Her Excellency Salama Al Ameemi, the Director General of the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma'an, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi to launch this partnership aimed at supporting the development of sustainable solutions to health priorities that concern the community – a key component of Ma’an’s objectives. As Abu Dhabi’s official channel to receive social contributions, Ma'an is fully committed to sustaining Abu Dhabi's healthcare sector and actively participating in the betterment of community wellbeing and prosperity. Furthermore, we look forward to providing innovative opportunities to promote scientific research and solidify Abu Dhabi's global standing in this domain."

Her Excellency Dr Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Following the directives of our wise leadership, we continue to work with our partners to cement Abu Dhabi’s position as an incubator for innovation. We appreciate the Authority for Social Contribution (Ma'an)’s eagerness to share our goals and enable us to establish an innovative system in the healthcare sector. By enhancing our research and innovation efforts, expanding our clinical research, and developing intellectual property innovations in Abu Dhabi, we aim to enhance the health and wellbeing of community members in Abu Dhabi and beyond while continuing to improve the healthcare system and the quality and availability of its services. We look forward to working side-by-side with the partners in Ma’an to achieve these goals.”

The Authority of Social Contribution Ma’an will provide an integrated platform to showcase the project’s stages, and the distribution of roles and responsibilities, and collect financial contributions in coordination with DoH. Additionally, it will work on finding appropriate means to allocate and direct those contributions to serve the project objectives.

The agreement falls within Ma’an’s framework and endeavours to enhance the accessibility of healthcare services to members of the community, through a set of initiatives that promote health and wellness, aligned with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 that seeks to elevate healthcare services in the emirate. The efforts translate the authority's keenness to address the priorities that concern members of the community within the areas of health, environment, infrastructure, and education in Abu Dhabi, by enabling third sector institutions, including non-profit organisations, social enterprises, and volunteers, to develop innovative and sustainable solutions that meet these priorities, most notably the areas of scientific research and the healthcare sector development.

As the official channel to collect the project’s contributions, the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an is committed to launching the fundraising campaign, managing it, and easing the necessary requirements to ensure its success, while coordinating with the stakeholders. The Authority works according to a strategy that seeks to enhance Abu Dhabi’s position as an ideal place to do business, invest, live, and work, by accelerating the pace of development in the emirate and supporting the economic development.

This project complements two additional initiatives launched within the same framework of this cooperation that focus on enhancing the health and wellbeing of members of the Abu Dhabi community. The first project provides a practical and humanitarian methodology, with the launch of the AOUNAK health card, dedicated to Abu Dhabi’s orphans and People of Determination, which ensures their access to necessary healthcare services.

This partnership resulted in the launch of another project that highlights the importance of family support for critically ill patients, by seeking to reunite patients residing in Abu Dhabi with their families. This is achieved by covering the costs of medical transportation to return them to their home country. This initiative has succeeded in helping 86 critically ill patients since its launch in 2023, improving their happiness and giving them support during their treatment journey.

Donations can be easily made through https://fundraise.maan.gov.ae/en or Ma’an’s mobile app operation on iOS and Android.