How Dubai Uses VR Headsets To Help Kids Relax During Treatment

2026-02-10 02:32:11

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Dubai Health is also developing a wearable system that measures pain objectively using AI and body signals, rather than relying only on a patient's description

PUBLISHED: Tue 10 Feb 2026, 5:30 PM

By:
Nasreen Abdulla

From reducing waiting times at clinics to helping reduce stress of children during treatment, Dubai Health is rolling out several innovative strategies to improve the patient experience.

At the centre of this push is the newly launched Dubai Health Innovations and its Centre for Innovation and Technology - a 2,000-square-metre hub designed to turn healthcare challenges into practical solutions.

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One of these initiatives focuses on children at Dubai Health's thalassemia centre who undergo frequent blood procedures, some as regularly as once a week.

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“We were approached by the clinicians who said these paediatric patients often have anxiety and pain because of the blood cannulation,” said Yacine Hadjiat, Director of the Centre. He was speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the World Health Expo that began in Dubai on Monday.“We saw that virtual reality could be one of the solutions.”

Kids at the facility now use virtual reality headsets during treatment. The immersive experience helps distract them from fear and discomfort.

“They don't have to focus and fear the needle. They can get a better experience, relax while they're getting the blood drawn,” he said.

The programme has already been tested on more than 100 mainly paediatric patients and is now expanding to emergency and mental health settings, with plans to introduce it in more hospitals.

Reducing wait times

Beyond virtual reality, the Center for Innovation and Technology plays a broader role in reshaping healthcare delivery across Dubai Health.

One of the biggest areas of focus is redesigning the patient journey. Teams worked with clinicians, staff and even first-year medical students to map out pain points patients face - from registration to time spent in waiting rooms. More than 90 improvement projects have already been identified.

Efforts include making information easier to access through the Dubai Health app and rethinking clinic spaces to reduce stress and waiting times. Patients are asked to upload their information on the app to help make clinic visits seamless.

The hub houses four core labs focused on human-centred design, data and artificial intelligence, sensors and wearables, and extended reality technologies such as virtual and augmented reality.

“Our goal is to take challenges from the bedside and turn them into solutions that improve care,” Hadjiat said.“Ultimately, everything we do must have an impact on patients.”

Measuring pain objectively

Looking further ahead, Dubai Health is working on a long-term research project called Pain Detect, funded by the Dubai Future Foundation's 2024 RDI grant. The aim is to develop a wearable system that measures pain objectively using AI and body signals, rather than relying only on a patient's description.

“Today, the only way for me to assess your pain is to ask you from zero to ten,” Hadjiat said.“This is subjective, and in medicine we don't like subjective assessment.”

If successful, the technology could transform care for patients who cannot communicate their pain, including children and people in intensive care.

“It's a tough project,” he said.“But this is how we could really have impact - not only in Dubai, but globally.”