The United Arab Emirates is embarking on a groundbreaking healthcare transformation by formally integrating traditional Emirati healing practices with conventional medical treatments. Health Minister Ahmed Al Sayegh announced this strategic initiative during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, marking a significant shift in the nation’s approach to wellness and disease prevention.
Minister Al Sayegh, appointed to his position in September 2025, shared personal reflections on the effectiveness of traditional medicine, noting that approximately 70% of his childhood treatments involved these ancestral practices. He emphasized that these methods contributed significantly to building robust health among earlier generations of Emiratis.
The newly formulated approach, termed ‘integrative medicine,’ represents a comprehensive healthcare model that combines conventional medical treatments with lifestyle modifications while addressing mental and spiritual wellbeing alongside physical health. This methodology aims to move traditional practices from the periphery to the core of the UAE’s healthcare prevention strategies.
To ensure patient safety and treatment efficacy, the Ministry of Health and Prevention will establish a robust legislative framework governing the implementation of these traditional practices. The minister clarified that while science remains paramount in addressing critical health challenges—evidenced by the dramatic reduction in child and maternal mortality rates over recent decades—traditional knowledge offers valuable complementary benefits.
Minister Al Sayegh highlighted specific examples, including holistic care protocols for pregnant women that incorporate traditional dietary recommendations, specialized exercises, and indigenous wellness practices similar to yoga. He expressed concern that these valuable traditional skills are gradually being lost and emphasized the ministry’s role in preserving this cultural heritage through structured training programs that combine ancestral wisdom with scientific validation.
This national initiative builds upon the foundation established by the UAE Integrative Medicine Council (UAEIMC), formed in September 2025 under the leadership of Sheikha Salama bint Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan. The council promotes a multidisciplinary approach that safely integrates modern, traditional, and complementary medical practices.
The UAE’s commitment to integrative medicine will be further demonstrated later this month when the country hosts the AYUSH Conference & Exhibition, bringing together wellness brands, clinics, and hospital representatives to showcase ancient medical traditions and their contemporary applications.