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Abu Dhabi Hospital To Use Cutting-Edge Robot For Complex Surgeries
The device, named da Vinci Xi, will help surgeons perform difficult minimally invasive procedures with unparalleled precision.
An Abu Dhabi-based healthcare facility has introduced a state-of-the-art robot named da Vinci Xi. The high-tech device will enable Burjeel Medical City’s doctors to carry out complex, minimally invasive surgeries with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency.
Named after Renaissance figure Leonardo da Vinci, the robotic surgical system offers numerous advantages over its human counterparts, including increased precision and enhanced visualization, leading to shorter patient recovery times.
Dr. Jafaru Abu, director of robotic surgery at the hospital, noted the advantages: “With this robotic technology, we can perform complex and minimally invasive surgical procedures with extreme dexterity [enabling] our highly skilled surgeons to provide even better patient clinical outcomes [while] reducing trauma and recovery times”.
Equipped with immersive 3D high-definition visualization technology, da Vinci Xi gives surgeons a highly detailed, magnified view of the surgical area. This enhanced clarity allows for high precision during procedures, potentially reducing complications and ensuring optimal outcomes.
At its core, da Vinci Xi uses robotic hands that mimic the motion of the surgeon controlling them from its console. The robot arms give enhanced agility and delicacy and allow for maneuvers that would be impossible using traditional “straight-stick” laparoscopic surgical instruments.
“Introducing the da Vinci Xi robotic system underscores our commitment to constantly evolving and adopting the latest medical technologies. With the integration of this new technology, we aim to reinforce our position as a leading healthcare institution at the forefront of medical innovation, providing patients with access to world-class, minimally invasive surgical procedures,” explained John Sunil, CEO of Burjeel Holdings.
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With the introduction of the new da Vinci robotic system, Burjeel Medical City can offer patients a wide range of minimally invasive surgeries, covering urology, gynecology, colorectal, upper gastrointestinal, thoracic, bariatric, hepatobiliary, and more.
News
Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments
Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.
For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.
Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.
Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.
The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.
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The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.
For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.
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