Dubai Health has launched a pilot project for a Virtual Intensive Care Unit (ICU)—an AI-driven system designed to revolutionize patient monitoring and intensive care management. The project, showcased at GITEX Global 2025, is currently being tested at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital, where advanced cameras and data analytics detect early signs of patient distress and instantly alert medical staff.
How the Virtual ICU Works
According to Hend Majed Al Abbar, Director of the AI Enablement Department at Dubai Health, the Virtual ICU integrates AI-powered cameras with the authority’s unified electronic medical record system, Salama. These cameras track patients’ movements, facial expressions, and skin tone in real time, automatically alerting doctors and nurses to abnormal changes.
The ten-bed pilot is also remotely monitored by specialists at the National Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., enabling 24/7 supervision and cross-border knowledge exchange. The system is expected to go live in December 2025, after which the results will determine its rollout to other Dubai hospitals.
Benefits for Critical Care
By merging visual analytics with clinical data, the Virtual ICU enhances patient safety and enables faster interventions, reducing hospital stays and improving survival rates. The system continuously records vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure, ensuring even subtle physiological shifts are captured.
Al Abbar emphasized that AI will support, not replace medical professionals:
“AI enables us to identify distress early, act quickly, and improve outcomes for critically ill patients.”
Other AI Innovations by Dubai Health
Beyond the Virtual ICU, Dubai Health is piloting Virufy, an AI-powered app that analyzes breathing and cough sounds to predict respiratory illnesses. Being tested at Nad Al Hamar and Al Barsha Clinics, the project is part of the Dubai Future Solutions’ Prototypes for Humanity program.
Another major innovation featured at GITEX is Agentic AI for MBRU Admissions, a generative AI assistant providing 24/7 support for applicants at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU). The system answers questions about registration, scholarships, and requirements through chat and phone, simplifying the admissions process.
These initiatives reflect Dubai Health’s ongoing commitment to AI integration across healthcare, aligning with the Dubai Social Agenda 33 and Dubai Digital Strategy to enhance innovation and patient outcomes in the emirate.
