Cognetivity secures UAE roll-out

An AI-powered test for the early detection of dementia pioneered by Cognetivity is being rolled out further globally with a contract with the main federal provider of public healthcare services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Cognetivity has secured an agreement with Emirates Health Services (EHS) for its pioneering Integrated Cognitive Assessment technology – CognICA – to be deployed as a screening tool for cognitive impairment. 

EHS is the operating arm of the country’s Ministry of Health and Prevention, running hundreds of healthcare centres and hospitals across the UAE and handling hundreds of thousands of outpatient visits each year.

Under the new agreement, CognICA, already in use globally and elsewhere in the Middle East, will be deployed in EHS-run clinics as a screening tool for measuring patients’ brain health and streamlining the detection of cognitive impairment. 

A recent study forecasts that the UAE will experience the second-highest percentage increase globally in the number of people living with dementia by 2050. More than 55 million people worldwide are currently estimated to be living with the condition. 

A rapid roll-out of CognICA is planned, with the test being delivered on a tablet in a medical environment or by a patient remotely, providing an end-to-end cognitive testing solution that can be applied throughout the patient pathway to improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment.

Dr Sina Habibi, Cognetivity’s CEO, said: “We’re hugely excited about this latest deployment of the ICA and thrilled to confirm another major deal in the Middle East. 

“To tackle the massive global problem of dementia, we have to begin cognitive testing on a larger scale than ever before. 

“The ICA is the perfect tool in every way for this job and this latest implementation paves the way for further large-scale deployments in the future, which is immensely exciting.

“What’s fantastic about the health authorities in the UAE is that they clearly appreciate the value of innovation in improving healthcare outcomes.

“They have a bold vision for the future of healthcare in the region and are not afraid to take bold steps in making that a reality. In this regard, our attitudes are very closely aligned. I’m confident that this deployment will be a great success for the people of UAE and Cognetivity.”