Dubai, UAE – Switzerland-based healthcare and real estate firm GKSD Investment Holding Group and San Donato Hospital Group (GSD), a private hospital group in Italy, will invest 125 million euros ($135 million) in university infrastructure and ‘smart clinics’ in the UAE and the wider Middle East region.
The investment was announced during the global investment platform Investopia’s annual conference held on 2-3 March 2023 in Abu Dhabi.
‘Smart clinics’, which was hailed as one of the key outcomes of the conference, is a new concept in the healthcare sector that focuses on improving life quality and establishing wellness pathways. Technology and precision healthcare are key components of the Smart Clinics program.
A smart clinic in Abu Dhabi, with an initial investment of 5 million euros, will be GSD’s first abroad. The reality will be managed directly by the Milanese hospital that owns the San Raffaele, the San Donato and the Galeazzi, the Group said in a statement.
In Dubai, San Donato will realize the new American University with a planned investment of 120 million euros. The structure will be rented to the private university that will manage it. The new campus is designed to accommodate 3,56 students, the statement said.
Abdulla Al Saleh, Undersecretary at the UAE’s Ministry of Economy, and Paolo Rotelli, Vice-President of Gruppo San Donato, signed an MoU at Investopia 2023 in the presence of Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of Investopia.
Abdulla Al Saleh, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy said the launch of smart clinics “confirms the vital role that Investopia plays today as a global business destination where investors can meet and explore investment opportunities in the new economic sectors”.
Kamel Ghribi, President of GKSD Investment Holding, said, “We are very proud of our strong capabilities in healthcare management and services including acute care treatment, medical education, scientific research in the field of gene and cellular therapies worldwide, as well as the recent strides made in the development of precision medicine, aided by artificial intelligence. We remain focused on expanding cooperation in the MENA region, sharing our GKSD expertise”.