Dr Zain Kenderian: Elevating eye care in the UAE

As the World Health Expo Dubai 2026 (WHX, formerly Arab Health) gets inaugurated today and runs through February 9-12, anticipation builds for transformative discussions on healthcare innovation. Gulf News spoke with Dr Zain Kenderian, CEO, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Abu Dhabi, on the sidewalks of his session tomorrow on Investing in Health Systems: Risk, Resilience & Return in Emerging Markets.

The World Health Expo is a vital arena for advancing patient-centred innovation, and Bascom Palmer Abu Dhabi aligns perfectly by bringing America’s top eye institute to the UAE. Since our Phase 1 launch in late 2025 we’ve focused on advanced ophthalmology, integrating AI-driven diagnostics and telemedicine.

This reduces outbound medical tourism and addresses the GCC’s $14-21.5 billion annual productivity loss from vision impairment, driven by diabetes, dry weather, and lifestyle factors. Our MOU with the Emirates Society of Ophthalmology further strengthens joint research, education and training — including CME courses — positioning Abu Dhabi as a hub of eye care excellence.

My dual specialisations in Medicine and Management equipped me to bridge clinical expertise with business strategy. From founding Archer Dental and Dermatology Centers to launching August Medical’s Cereneo Center for Neurological Rehabilitation in Dubai, I’ve honed skills in partnerships and operations.

Negotiating Bascom Palmer’s entry - their first international facility - required aligning Miami’s #1 standards with DoH regulations. This experience ensures we deliver compassionate, cutting-edge care, while my role as the youngest President of the Minnesota Academy of Medicine in 2019 sharpened my focus on ethical innovation.

Absolutely. My co-founded Mobile Eye Clinic for refugees in Jordan, in partnership with Bascom Palmer Miami and the International Medical Corps, directly informs our community outreach. Similarly, my engagement on Refugee Sociopsychological Services with Dr Walter Gilliam, of Yale Child Study Center addresses migrant mental health.

I was honoured to be recognised by the Crown including receiving a medal from Her Majesty The Queen upon being admitted as a Member of the St. John Priory, for my work highlighting Bascom Palmer’s subsidised programmes, blending philanthropy with scalable returns.

At Bascom Palmer Abu Dhabi, we’re extending this by initiating community health initiatives, especially for the lower end spectrum of our country’s workforce, offering screenings via mobile eye clinics and using eye care to foster equity and making healthcare accessible to all.

Events like the World Health Expo amplify our message about sustainable health investments, yielding returns of $28-36 per dollar. My discussion explores how hospitals, insurers, investors, and MedTech operators can navigate rising costs, regulatory shifts, and market fragmentation to build sustainable systems.

My insights, drawn from Bascom Palmer’s UAE expansion, underscore healthcare as a vehicle for both patient impact and scalable returns to the businesses, communities, and the country.