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Amazon Web Services enables healthcare transformation in the Middle EastAmazon Web Services enables healthcare transformation in the Middle East
From democratising access to healthcare innovation to data protection and local relevance, Amazon Web Services leads by example.
7 Min Read
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Global reports show that nearly 70 per cent of healthcare companies plan to migrate their operations to cloud platforms within two years. However, the healthcare industry is facing unprecedent challenges from navigating regulatory compliance while accelerating the digital transformation journey.
To address this phenomenon, global cloud leader Amazon Web Services (AWS) is paving the way with a commitment evidenced by a AED3.7 billion strategic partnership with e& in the UAE. Announced in October 2024, its robust infrastructure comprises 37 regions and 117 availability zones worldwide, which represents twice the availability zones and three times more data centres than the next largest cloud provider. In the Middle East specifically, AWS operates two strategic regions: Bahrain (launched 2019) and Abu Dhabi (launched 2022), with a third location in Saudi Arabia planned for 2026, enabling local data storage and low-latency performance. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Building on AWS' Digital Sovereignty Pledge and our commitment to offering customers with the most advanced set of sovereignty controls without compromising on innovation, AWS' industry-leading security tools and healthcare-specific compliance frameworks include 143 security standards and 50+ global compliance certifications,” says Dr. Myriam Fernández Martín, Head of Health Innovation — EMEA at Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The sovereign-by-design approach is exemplified in the Middle East through initiatives like the UAE Sovereign Launchpad, launched in May 2025 in partnership with e& and the UAE Cybersecurity Council, providing end-to-end localisation and control over security tools, access policies, and encryption keys.
“In general, AWS' comprehensive security framework sets the standard for data protection while enabling innovation and digital transformation. This allows healthcare organisations and other regulated industries to adopt modern cloud infrastructure without compromising compliance or control,” she adds.
Further strengthened by the establishment of the Cybersecurity Technology Innovation Bureau (CTIB), it fosters secure-by-design cloud adoption and developing cutting-edge security frameworks for the region.
The comprehensive approach, recognised by the 2025 KLAS Award for Public Cloud for Healthcare, established AWS as the trusted partner for healthcare organisations in the Middle East seeking to modernise while maintaining the highest standards of security and regulatory compliance.
“AWS is building a sustainable cloud infrastructure to help customers achieve their sustainability goals while maintaining the performance, reliability, and security they expect. As part of Amazon's commitment to reach net-zero carbon by 2040 through The Climate Pledge, AWS continually innovates to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact across our global infrastructure,” she says.
Dr. Myriam Fernández Martín, Head of Health Innovation — EMEA at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Respecting local healthcare data sovereignty requirement
Navigating a complex regulatory and legislative landscape to ensure data security can be a challenge, particularly in highly regulated industries such as healthcare. According to Dr. Fernández, the partnership with e& combines AWS’ cloud infrastructure and solutions, which are sovereign by design, along with e&’s network capabilities to address the most stringent customer requirements across the public sector and regulated industries.
The healthcare landscape across the Middle East presents diverse challenges and opportunities in achieving the quintuple aim: enhancing patient experience, improving population health, reducing costs, supporting healthcare workforce well-being, and advancing health accessibility, diversity and sustainability.
“AWS, working with its extensive partner network including 19 of the top 20 pharmaceutical organisations, four of the top give genomic sequencing organisations, more than 80% of health unicorns in healthcare rely on AWS and top 10 medical device organisations globally, addresses these varied needs through comprehensive cloud infrastructure and healthcare-specific solutions. AWS Cloud is fundamentally democratising access to healthcare innovation across the region,” she says.
“This is particularly impactful in advancing health equity: from enabling remote healthcare delivery in rural areas to making advanced diagnostic capabilities accessible to smaller clinics,” she added.
The healthcare industry generates 30% of the world's data volume, yet 97% remains trapped in unstructured formats, a challenge that's particularly acute in this region.
Through its pay-as-you-go model, healthcare organisations of all sizes can access enterprise-grade technology that previously was only available to large institutions.
“Working closely with healthcare providers across EMEA, I have seen how AWS' AI and analytics capabilities are helping unlock this potential while respecting local requirements. We have been collaborating with leading healthcare providers in the UAE to drive innovation and digital transformation.
Notable partnerships include Saudi German Hospital's innovative use of machine learning models and AI to power their patient loyalty, AI for others and King's Hospital, which is developing advanced Generative AI solutions to optimise operating theatre efficiency,” she highlights.
Adapting to the unique needs of MENA healthcare providers and payer organisations
Combining its understanding of Middle East business culture and sovereignty requirements with its cloud infrastructure that is architected to be the most secure global cloud infrastructure, AWS enables healthcare organisations to achieve secure and sovereign cloud transformation. The AWS Marketplace now offers over 700 healthcare and life sciences solutions and strategically adapts their portfolio to meet the distinct requirements of Middle Eastern healthcare ecosystems.
“Our marketplace evolution is enabling both global innovation and local relevance. Whether it's supporting Arabic language integration, local EHR system compatibility, ensuring compliance with regional healthcare data standards, or alignment with regional healthcare workflows, we are making sure these solutions truly serve the unique needs of Middle Eastern healthcare providers and payer organisations,” she says.
Examples of rapid innovation through AWS Marketplace:
Basepair, a SaaS platform that is fully compatible with AWS HealthOmics, allows pharmaceutical and diagnostic teams to run scalable, secure, cloud-native bioinformatics analyses directly within their own AWS accounts. Its intuitive point-and-click interface empowers bench scientists to perform DNA-, RNA-, and epigenetics-based NGS analysis without coding, while bioinformaticians maintain full control through APIs, custom pipelines, and enterprise-grade deployment. This architecture accelerates time-to-insight, reduces cloud costs, and reinforces compliance, making Basepair a trusted partner for next-gen R&D teams and diagnostic enterprises leveraging AWS health infrastructure.
Mediktor, an AI-powered platform designed to help navigate healthcare services, is an all-in-one solution that guides patients through their care journey and supports healthcare professionals in decision-making.
HeartFlow, implemented at Max Grundig Klinik, helped the clinic avoid up to 52 per cent of invasive coronary angiographies (ICA) through AI-powered 3D heart models that enabled a non-invasive, personalised assessment of coronary artery disease, reducing months of time into a span of four hours.
Factors shaping healthcare delivery models in the Middle East
The evolution of healthcare delivery models in the Middle East over the next five years will be fundamentally shaped by two key factors: the digital transformation of traditional healthcare systems and the growing demand for accessible, personalised care.
“With the healthcare industry facing unprecedented challenges and GCC healthcare spending projected to reach US$104.6 billion by 2025, cloud technologies are becoming essential to unlock the value of currently inaccessible healthcare information and certainly a must to scale any generative AI strategy considering a new foundational model gets released every two and half days,” reflects Dr Fernández.
“Innovation is already accelerating across the region. We're seeing emerging trends that signal a fundamental shift in healthcare delivery. Healthcare providers are moving towards predictive and preventive care models, extending their reach through virtual solutions, and embracing real-time monitoring through connected technologies.
“It is profoundly inspiring how we are unlocking potential of data through building digital twin data lakes and, how with Agentic and GenAI, cloud technology will enable healthcare providers to move from reactive to proactive care models, while making advanced healthcare capabilities accessible to previously underserved populations,” she remarks.
Final notes
"When I look at the future of healthcare in the Middle East, I see it through the lens of both a professional and of every parent, child, and family member who hopes for better care. Our shared humanity, our shared experiences, and our shared hope for better healthcare. What’s transforming healthcare is not technology or AI alone, but the way AI and cloud technology can amplify and expand human understanding.
After all, we're not just building healthcare systems; we're creating the care we all hope to receive when we need it most."
References available on request.
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