Dubai investor builds global healthcare bridge from UAE to Moldova

Dubai’s growing influence in global healthcare takes a leap forward with a cross-border investment connecting the UAE to Eastern Europe. Kavit Handa, Chairman of Africa Capital, has completed the GBP 10 million acquisition of BB Hamodialyse, Moldova’s largest dialysis provider, an expansion that positions Dubai as a gateway for affordable, world-class renal care.

The deal gives the Dubai-headquartered investment group full ownership of BB Hamodialyse, which commands more than 75 per cent of Moldova’s dialysis market and is recognised for clinical efficiency and cost-effective treatment delivery. Handa plans to use Moldova as a regional training and innovation hub, exporting its proven dialysis model to underserved markets across Africa and the Middle East.

“Dialysis is life-sustaining but costly,” Handa said. “Moldova has built one of Europe’s most efficient dialysis systems. By leveraging that expertise, we can make quality treatment affordable in regions where access remains limited.”

The strategy aligns with Africa Capital’s broader goal of combining commercial growth with social impact, an approach Handa describes as “impact investing at its most practical.” The firm aims to expand the model into a USD 100 million business within five years, focusing on replication, local training, and operational efficiency.

For the UAE and GCC, where diabetes-related kidney disease is rising sharply, the implications are direct. The International Diabetes Federation estimates more than 73 million adults across the Middle East live with diabetes, with the UAE’s prevalence at 16.4 per cent, among the highest globally. By linking Moldova’s clinical expertise with Dubai’s healthcare ecosystem, Africa Capital intends to strengthen regional dialysis capacity and talent development.

The investment also complements Dubai’s ambition to become a global centre for medical innovation, aligning with the UAE National Strategy for Healthcare Innovation. It coincides with growing economic ties between the UAE and Moldova following a 2025 visa-exemption agreement and a more than 20-fold increase in bilateral trade since Expo 2020 Dubai.