DoH Abu Dhabi–Sheba MoU
Research, knowledge exchange, telemedicine and AI in healthcare.
- Partners
- Department of Health Abu Dhabi; Sheba Medical Center
- Date
- 11 Jul 2021
- Status
- Signed
Benefit Index › Sectors
Health
What has happened since 2020, with sources. Figures show change over time, not cause.
Draft, under review: this content has not yet been approved for publication.
Overview
Health cooperation began during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 the UAE and Israel signed a healthcare cooperation agreement and an MoU on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates, and Abu Dhabi's Department of Health signed an MoU with Israel's Sheba Medical Center covering research, telemedicine and AI.
Hospital-level links have also produced patient-facing results, including the first Israel–UAE kidney exchange in July 2021, and Sheba signed agreements with Bahrain's two largest hospitals. Measures such as joint clinical trials or numbers of clinicians trained are not yet published.
Key numbers
2 (Salmaniya, King Hamad University Hospital)Bahraini hospitals with Sheba cooperation agreements2021 [2]
Timeline
UAE and Israel sign a healthcare services cooperation agreement. [3]
Sheba signs cooperation agreements with Salmaniya Hospital and King Hamad University Hospital in Bahrain. [2]
The UAE's announced $10bn fund for Israel lists healthcare among target sectors. [4]
First Israel–UAE kidney exchange: kidneys flown between Israel and Abu Dhabi. [1][5]
Abu Dhabi Department of Health and Sheba Medical Center sign an MoU on research, telemedicine and AI. [6]
UAE and Israel sign an MoU on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates. [7]
The Negev Forum sets up a Health working group. [8]
I2U2 leaders list health and access to vaccines among their aims. [9]
Country highlights
UAE
Healthcare and vaccine-certificate MoUs (2021); DoH Abu Dhabi–Sheba MoU; first Israel–UAE organ exchange. [3][7][6][1]
Bahrain
Sheba agreements with Salmaniya Hospital and King Hamad University Hospital. [2]
Morocco
Data in progress
Sudan
Data in progress
Flagship projects
Israel–UAE kidney exchange
Three-family paired kidney donation across borders.
- Partners
- Sheba; Rambam; Abu Dhabi hospital
- Date
- Jul 2021
- Status
- Completed
Vaccination certificate recognition
Mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates.
- Partners
- UAE and Israeli governments
- Date
- 25 Oct 2021
- Status
- Signed
Sheba–Bahrain hospital agreements
Staff training, knowledge-sharing, research and innovation.
- Partners
- Sheba; Salmaniya Hospital; King Hamad University Hospital
- Date
- 2021
- Status
- Signed
Negev Forum Health working group
Multilateral working group on health.
- Partners
- Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, UAE, US
- Date
- 2022
- Status
- Established
Challenges
- Most items are MoUs; public reporting on what they delivered after 2022 is thin.
- No official data found on joint clinical trials, patient numbers or clinicians trained.
What to watch
- Annual reports from DoH Abu Dhabi and Sheba on joint projects.
- Morocco–Israel health agreements (none sourced yet).
- Negev Forum Health working group activity.
Sources
- Rambam Health Care Campus: first Israel–UAE organ exchange
- Israel National News: Sheba and Bahrain hospitals sign agreements
- UAE MOFA: UAE and Israel to cooperate on healthcare services
- WAM, 11 Mar 2021: $10bn fund
- The National, 29 Jul 2021
- WAM, 11 Jul 2021: DoH Abu Dhabi and Sheba MoU
- UAE MOFA, 25 Oct 2021: vaccination certificates MoU
- US State Department archive: Negev Forum Steering Committee
- India MEA: I2U2 Leaders' Joint Statement, 14 Jul 2022
- US Embassy in Kazakhstan: A New Era in U.S.–Kazakhstan Relations (Nov 2025)
- NPR / AP, 7 Nov 2025
Sources checked on 27 Oct 2026. Figures show change over time, not cause. ⚑ marks a link being re-checked.