Abu Dhabi, UAE: Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council has announced the activation of advanced blood toxicology testing services through the Central Testing Laboratory, in a strategic step that enhances the readiness of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the field of laboratory operations and reinforces its capabilities to rapidly develop and provide laboratory requirements. This supports both government and private sector entities while strengthening national capabilities for fast and accurate response to mitigate health risks through enhanced preventive plans. This achievement represents a significant milestone in Abu Dhabi’s healthcare and research ecosystem, as the emirate now possesses, for the first time, fully integrated local capabilities to detect heavy metals and toxic agents in blood without the need to rely on external laboratories or request services from abroad. This development significantly reduces turnaround times for results from several days to just hours and supports the development of preventive plans based on accurate data.

This achievement comes amid growing global health challenges associated with practices that expose individuals to direct contact with toxic substances and heavy metals, which pose a direct threat to human health, particularly among high-risk groups such as children, pregnant women, and professionals who work directly with toxic materials. Through this initiative, Abu Dhabi is providing a vital tool for physicians and healthcare authorities that enables rapid diagnosis and immediate intervention, further strengthening levels of prevention and public health protection across the community.

Engineer Fahad Ghareeb Al Shamsi, Acting Secretary-General of Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, stated, “The activation of this service represents a significant transformation in Abu Dhabi’s public health ecosystem. The emirate no longer relies on sending samples abroad and now possesses sovereign capabilities for the rapid and accurate detection of blood toxins within hours instead of days or weeks, while ensuring continuity of service and avoiding potential impacts on samples resulting from transportation. This capability not only enhances the quality of healthcare services but also constitutes a fundamental pillar in the emirate’s preparedness to respond to health emergencies and protect the community, further reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as an advanced regional hub in laboratory testing.”

For his part, Engineer Abdulla Hassan Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory, affirmed, “This service, which has been developed in collaboration with our strategic partner M42, is not limited to conducting tests only, but represents an advanced platform to support medical and research decision-making. It enables relevant entities to develop preventive plans, which contributes to improving quality of life by providing accurate and rapid laboratory results that help safeguard public health. The service has been developed by national talents with expertise in laboratory operations, relying on highly advanced and precise technologies such as ICP-MS. In addition, the infrastructure has been developed and advanced facilities have been established and equipped for the preservation and storage of samples for years at ultra-low temperatures reaching 80°C, ensuring the sustainability of data quality and the possibility of using it in long-term studies.”

The Central Testing Laboratory is currently working in collaboration with M42 to provide the service to several healthcare and strategic entities, including the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, with plans to expand service delivery to other relevant government entities. This achievement reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to developing advanced infrastructure in the fields of life sciences and healthcare, further strengthening its position as a regional and global hub for innovation in the healthcare sector and supporting its vision of building a preventive and proactive healthcare system driven by evidence-based decision-making.

This achievement also reflects the pivotal role of Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council in enabling the national quality ecosystem through the development of advanced testing and assessment services, contributing to community protection, enhancing confidence in healthcare services, and supporting the emirate’s sustainable development journey.