The Emirates News Agency reported that ADNOC and Burjeel Holdings have broadened their partnership to develop a more integrated, preventive and patient-centric healthcare approach across the Al Dhafra region. This initiative encompasses advanced clinical care, occupational health services, preventive medicine, wellness activities, digital health tools and support for healthy ageing to improve overall outcomes. The move follows ADNOC’s appointment of Burjeel Holdings to operate Al Dhannah Hospital in 2023 and seeks to address the needs of ADNOC employees, their families and the wider community in western Abu Dhabi.
Initiatives being assessed include transforming ADNOC’s Occupational Medical Centre into a unified One Health Hub that combines occupational health with preventive care and health-promotion programmes. The partners are also reviewing opportunities to increase outpatient services and day-surgery capabilities at various locations throughout Al Dhafra. According to the joint announcement these steps will create a connected ecosystem that places patient requirements at the centre of care delivery.
Khalid Al Hosani, Acting Executive Vice President, Group Business Support at ADNOC, stated, “The partnership with Burjeel Holdings reflects ADNOC’s commitment to providing access to world-class healthcare services, advancing preventive and occupational healthcare, and delivering better health outcomes.” Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Burjeel Holdings, said in the same release, “The next phase of our partnership moves beyond operating a hospital to building an integrated healthcare ecosystem for Al Dhafra Region, connecting occupational health, prevention, specialist care, digital health and advanced clinical services around the needs of ADNOC employees, their families and the wider community.”
Burjeel Holdings assumed full operational responsibility for the 122-bed Al Dhannah Hospital, which holds Joint Commission International accreditation and offers specialties including occupational medicine, orthopaedics, paediatrics and emergency care, in 2023. The hospital has since delivered services to ADNOC staff and the surrounding population in one of the emirate’s largest healthcare facilities outside central Abu Dhabi. A subsequent step came in 2024 when Burjeel Holdings opened a dedicated day surgery centre in Madinat Zayed to meet geographic and demographic requirements in the area.
Demographic records place Al Dhafra’s population at approximately 407,000, a figure that has grown more than 167 percent since 2000 and underscores the demand for expanded local medical capacity. Burjeel Holdings operational data show the group maintains around 40 healthcare assets across the combined Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra and Al Ain regions, forming a substantial part of its UAE network that recorded more than 7 million patient visits in 2025. The company’s investor materials indicate that facilities in these western and central areas contribute a significant share of its overall activity.
The development aligns with Burjeel Holdings’ asset-light expansion strategy through operation and management contracts, which has seen the firm add multiple primary care clinics, day surgery units and specialised centres in Abu Dhabi in recent years. UAE health planning documents have highlighted the importance of preventive services and integrated models to manage chronic conditions amid population growth and industrial activity. ADNOC’s collaboration with Burjeel Holdings extends this approach by focusing on occupational health for its workforce while extending benefits to surrounding communities.
Further assessments will examine how to enhance coordination between existing sites and potential new outpatient facilities to support seamless patient movement from prevention to advanced treatment. The announcement noted that detailed implementation plans would be finalised in coordination with regulatory authorities in the coming period. Burjeel Holdings has indicated that such projects form part of its target to reach additional assets across the GCC while maintaining focus on high-quality delivery in core markets.
