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myAster App Will Connect Patients To Doctors In 30 Minutes
The myAster app will link UAE hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, and pharmacies, allowing rapid access to medical services.

Aster DM Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare providers in the Middle East and India, has just unveiled a version of their myAster app for the UAE market. The service aims to connect patients to general practitioners in as little as 30 minutes after making an appointment, using video conferencing to cut down on wait times.
The myAster app also provides access to hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and diagnostic centers. Users will be able to make appointments and view results 24/7, while the healthcare sector will benefit from a robust platform that joins reporting, medical histories, and other data under a single system.
So far, the app can connect 430 doctors, five hospitals, 48 clinics, and over 20 specialist medical services. As well as video consultations, myAster also features a secure payment gateway, along with access to an online pharmacy complete with a 90-minute home delivery service.
“Our users have access to 200+ Aster hospital doctors for appointment booking. The user interface is easy to navigate, and they can view doctor schedules and slots to select a doctor for consultation. As we continue to innovate, we will be adding Homecare services to the myAster app in the near future,” says Brandon Rowberry, CEO of Digital Health, Aster DM Healthcare.
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The free healthcare app offers many unique features aimed at helping patients manage their health data using a smartphone, and can even be used to help with insurance approvals.
“COVID 19 actually helped us to understand what really works as far as digital health is concerned [and the] UAE has been at the forefront of managing the pandemic, so we thought about how we could move healthcare to the next level, and the way to do that is by going digital,” says Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare.
The Aster DM Digital Health team developed their medical portal over a two-year period, with a strong focus on enhancing patient experience. The company’s success now means that its app has the potential to improve healthcare and wellness solutions for residents across the United Arab Emirates and beyond.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.

Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.