Dubai aims to become global hub for healthy ageing

Dubai has the potential to become a global centre for healthy ageing, but achieving this goal will require greater focus on preventive healthcare, early detection of diseases, trained medical professionals and stronger healthcare standards, according to a leading medical expert.

Dr Jaffer Khan, Founder and CEO of AEON Clinic and Aesthetics International, said Dubai’s growing healthcare infrastructure, government initiatives and focus on healthier lifestyles could help residents live longer, healthier and more independent lives.

Speaking to Gulf News in an exclusive interview ahead of the Next-Gen Medicine & Longevity Congress 2026, to be held from November 7 to 10 at Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, Dr Khan said the goal should be to make preventive healthcare more accessible rather than focusing only on advanced medical treatments.

“A title like that has to be felt in everyday life,” he said, referring to Dubai’s potential to become a global longevity capital.

He explained that healthy ageing means helping people maintain their well-being, remain active and continue living independently as they grow older.

“That starts with prevention, identifying health risks early, making good medical care accessible, and helping people make sustainable changes to sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress,” he said.

Healthier living

Dr Khan said Dubai has already introduced several initiatives encouraging residents to adopt healthier lifestyles, including public parks, green spaces, beaches and facilities for physical exercise. He also highlighted emerging residential projects designed to promote healthier living through improved construction materials, water systems and air filtration.

He believes the announced Dubai Longevity Authority could play an important role in promoting public awareness, developing regulatory standards and encouraging clinics to deliver effective healthcare services.

According to him, the next step is ensuring these initiatives translate into measurable improvements in people’s everyday health.

What residents can expect

Dr Khan believes residents could see significant changes in preventive healthcare over the next three to five years as longevity medicine develops.

These could include more comprehensive health assessments, earlier identification of potential diseases and personalised programmes to improve nutrition, physical fitness, sleep and metabolic health.

“If this develops well, residents should notice that care is becoming more proactive and better connected,” he said.

Rather than waiting for symptoms to appear, doctors could increasingly help patients identify health risks and take preventive measures. He stressed, however, that longevity medicine should not be viewed as a quick solution to ageing.

“Longevity is not a single treatment or a quick fix,” he said.

The approach involves understanding a person’s overall health, lifestyle, medical history and long-term goals before developing an individual care plan.

Need for specialised doctors

Despite growing interest in longevity medicine, Dr Khan said a shortage of standardised training and professional qualifications remains a challenge.

“At the moment, training in functional, regenerative medicine, as well as healthy longevity medicine, is both limited and lacks standardisation,” he said.

He called for greater emphasis on continuous medical education, internationally recognised qualifications and stronger accreditation standards for clinics offering longevity services.

Organisations such as Joint Commission International and Accreditation Canada International provide established frameworks for assessing clinical quality and patient safety, he noted.

Dr Khan said medical institutions and regulators would need to work together to develop consistent standards as new treatments and technologies emerge.

Diverse population

Dr Khan said Dubai’s international population creates opportunities to develop personalised healthcare services catering to people from different nationalities and backgrounds.

However, this diversity means doctors cannot follow the same treatment approach for every patient. “Diversity in Dubai’s population means that a longevity clinic cannot rely on a single template for every patient,” he said. Residents have different family medical histories, diets, lifestyles, cultural expectations and health risks.

He said continuity of care is particularly important in Dubai, where many residents travel frequently or receive healthcare services in different countries.

Clinics should, therefore, ensure patients can monitor their health over time and receive coordinated medical advice.

Lessons from three years in Dubai

Dr Khan opened his clinic in Dubai in February 2023 after nearly three decades of experience in aesthetic medicine. He said the decision reflected changing patient expectations, with more people becoming interested in their internal health rather than focusing only on their external appearance. “We had been engaged for the last 28 years on externally beautifying people, so to speak,” he said.

Previously, patients often visited separate clinics for aesthetic treatments and preventive healthcare, with little coordination between the two.

He said bringing these services together within a medically supervised environment could provide a more comprehensive approach to patient care.

Advice for residents

With increasing interest in longevity clinics, Dr Khan urged residents to carefully evaluate medical providers before undergoing tests or treatments.

He advised patients to check whether a clinic is properly licensed and whether qualified medical professionals supervise their care.

Residents should also ask what scientific evidence supports a recommended treatment, what risks may be involved and whether established alternatives are available.

They should seek clear information about treatment costs, medical data privacy, follow-up appointments and how improvements in their health will be measured.

Global Congress in Dubai

The Next-Gen Medicine & Longevity Congress 2026, chaired by Dr Khan, will bring together international doctors, researchers and healthcare specialists at Atlantis The Royal from November 7 to 10.

The event will focus on preventive healthcare, personalised medicine, regenerative treatments and new approaches to healthy ageing.

“The aim is not to promote every new treatment, but to help build a more knowledgeable and responsible conversation about the future of health,” Dr Khan said.

He believes Dubai’s success as a global longevity hub will ultimately depend on whether medical advances can help ordinary residents stay healthier, remain active and enjoy a better quality of life as they age.