PureHealth launches mental health services in UAE via AI-enabled Pura app

Abu Dhabi: PureHealth has launched nationwide virtual mental health services through its AI-enabled health app, Pura, in collaboration with SAKINA, the region’s largest mental health network. The service gives people across the UAE direct access to licensed psychologists and psychiatrists from wherever they are. It positions mental health as a key pillar of overall wellbeing, making it easy and quick for people to seek support as part of their mental health journeys.

The feature allows users to book private, expert-led sessions through the app, offering fast, secure support. Part of SEHA, PureHealth’s hospital network, SAKINA brings decades of therapeutic expertise, cultural insight, and evidence-based care, ensuring trusted support for every patient. Its licensed professionals are now available for online consultations via Pura, with appointments open to everyone, including those covered by Daman insurance.

According to the World Health Organisation, one in eight people globally experience a mental health disorder at any given time. In the GCC, up to 80% of cases go undiagnosed, and 75% of those affected don’t seek help – often due to limited access or the desire to manage these concerns privately. This launch reflects PureHealth’s commitment to building a more inclusive, preventive and digitally-driven healthcare system, empowering people to take charge of their wellbeing and offering compassionate pathways to mental health support.

Shaista Asif, Group Chief Executive Officer, PureHealth, said: “With Pura, we’re making care more accessible, more responsive and more human, thoughtfully designed around real lives and real needs. By harnessing the power of digital healthcare and AI, we’re not just scaling access, we’re personalising care and helping to remove longstanding barriers to mental health support. This exemplifies the transformative potential of technology in delivering meaningful and measurable impact for individuals, families and communities across the nation.”

Alongside virtual therapy sessions, the app offers a growing suite of guided meditations and self-help tools, including educational content, emotional resilience resources, and preventive mental wellness programmes tailored to users’ needs.

Dr. Zain Al Yafei, Chief Executive Officer of SAKINA, said: “Mental health remains a significant and often under-addressed challenge in communities across the globe. Networks such as SAKINA play a vital role in raising awareness, fostering connection, and encouraging open dialogue around this essential aspect of overall wellbeing.

By making our licensed mental health professionals accessible through the trusted Pura app, we are bringing expert support closer to people through secure, user-friendly tools. This launch marks an important step toward enabling earlier intervention and promoting a more proactive, personalised approach to mental health care across the UAE.”

The launch supports PureHeath’s digital transformation strategy and aligns with the UAE’s national health priorities, combining smart technology with inclusive care to improve lives at scale.