Mediclinic Al Noor Hospital and Mediclinic Al Ain Hospital win Muashir Emerald Awards at COP28

Globally, healthcare is one of the largest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases. Mediclinic, a diversified international private healthcare group, established in South Africa in 1983, with divisions in Switzerland, Southern Africa (South Africa and Namibia) and the United Arab Emirates, is committed to mitigating the impact of its business on the environment focusing on its carbon footprint, use of energy and water resources and waste management. Additionally, it has committed to achieving zero waste to landfill and carbon neutrality by 2030, in line with the Department of Health’s sustainability goals to achieve net zero emissions.

As COP28 is underway in Dubai, Mediclinic Middle East is proud that its approach to sustainability is guided not only by the group at large, but also by the vision of the UAE government, which is one of the most progressive governments of the world. in terms of leading sustainable change to reduce greenhouse gases.

Since the launch of Mediclinic Middle East’s sustainability roadmap, these are its key achievements.

• One of the first healthcare providers in the UAE to purchase renewable energy in 2022, enough to power all of its healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi.

• Fleet replacement with hybrid vehicles

• Complete replacement of the highly polluting anesthetic gas desflurane with more sustainable alternatives, leading to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of almost 90 tonnes.

• Installation of photovoltaic panels in hospitals and clinics in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, generating up to 71 percent of all electricity needs.

• Installation of smart meters at Mediclinic Middle East corporate office, leading to sustained reduction and more consistent electricity usage.

• Installation of low water consumption technologies, which resulted in a reduction in water use of more than 4,000 cubic meters.

• Replacing all plastic bags in pharmacies with paper bags.

• Introduction of reusable glasses and tableware.

• Waste segregation and recycling

• Planting trees and mangroves

• Enrollment of 278 Mediclinic Middle East employees as Green Champions to drive sustainability initiatives at the facility level.

• Recognition from the Society of Friends of the Environment for Mediclinic Middle East’s efforts to raise awareness on environmental protection and sustainability in the UAE community.

“At Mediclinic Middle East, our goal is not only to care for our patients but also to care for the environment in which we operate,” says Hein van Eck, CEO of Mediclinic Middle East. “We are fully aware of the heavy environmental burden that the healthcare industry can place on the planet, and we are fully committed to alleviating that pressure as much as possible through a coordinated and sustained environmental roadmap, which will help us achieve zero waste in landfills. and carbon neutrality by 2030, as well as the implementation of the ISO 14001 standard.

“We are delighted to have been recognized by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health for meeting the Department’s criteria for Emerald Muashir, and were very proud to be among the first UAE healthcare providers to power a significant part of our operations through renewable energy. Furthermore, our complete replacement of highly polluting anesthetic gases with more sustainable alternatives has had a huge positive impact on our greenhouse gas emissions. “We are very excited about our planned future projects, which will bring us even closer to our sustainability goals.”

To learn more about Mediclinic Middle East’s sustainability initiatives, visit Mediclinica.ae