Reenita Das on the future of healthcare innovation at WHX Tech 2025

The first edition of WHX Tech 2025, held at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 8–10, brought together global healthcare leaders, investors, start-ups, and policymakers for three days of dialogue on the future of health technology. Among the highlights was a fireside chat featuring Reenita Das, Partner and Senior Vice President – Healthcare & Life Sciences at Frost & Sullivan, who shared her perspective on the evolving balance between technology and the human side of care.

Speaking at the event, Das emphasised that as AI takes over repetitive tasks, the future of healthcare will increasingly depend on empathy, creativity, and collaboration. “How do we teach empathy? How do we teach love for people and humanity and service?” she asked, underlining the need to embed these values into medical education and practice.

She also pointed to mental health, diagnostics, and preventative care as critical opportunities for digital health adoption in the Middle East, alongside wellness initiatives that shift the focus from sick care to true healthcare. Looking ahead, Das highlighted that disruptive trends such as modular, personalized care—what she calls the “IKEAisation of healthcare”—and data-driven risk screening will reshape patient journeys worldwide. For start-ups, her advice was simple: “Try to solve a big problem. Make your product a painkiller, not a vitamin.”