India's digital health startup Practo enters UAE

Practo, a digital health startup that began as a doctor discovery platform in India nearly two decades ago, is expanding its consumer-facing services to the United Arab Emirates, deepening its presence in a region where it has long operated through hospital software deployments.

The company, headquartered in Bengaluru, has launched its core platform—Practo.com—in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah, giving patients access to verified doctors across specialties like dermatology, dentistry, ENT, gynecology, and psychiatry.

As of now, over 50,000 users in the UAE are actively using Practo’s services every month, the company said. Practo is entering the market with more than 31,000 doctors and 3,000 healthcare facilities onboarded, and aims to position itself as a comprehensive alternative to siloed hospital networks.

In the UAE, where the healthcare system is tightly integrated with insurance coverage, Practo says it will surface insurance data at the doctor level by the end of the month, helping users make more informed decisions.

The move follows a pivotal financial year for the company. Practo reported profitability in FY24 and said it sustained a positive cash flow position in FY25. The company’s co-founder and CEO, Shashank ND, said Practo’s global expansion reflects its ambition to take Indian healthcare innovations beyond borders.

"The initial response in the UAE has been encouraging, and we appreciate the confidence placed in us by both healthcare providers and patients. This is just the beginning as we scale our efforts to improve healthcare outcomes worldwide," Shashank added.

The UAE has been a key region for Practo’s enterprise business for over a decade. Its hospital software arm, Insta by Practo, already powers operations at institutions such as Emirates Hospital, Life Medical Center, and Healthcare Organisation UAE.

The new offering targets consumers directly and integrates appointment booking, doctor discovery, and patient reviews—features that helped Practo scale to 400 million+ users in India. Among its early healthcare partners in the UAE are Sulaiman Habib Hospital and Clinics, e-Kaya Skin Clinic, Micris Dental, Smile on Dental Clinic, and Quintinha Hospitals.

"As healthcare continues to become more connected across borders, we believe this platform will offer patients an easier, more transparent way to find and connect with quality providers. We are pleased to be among the early adopters, supporting greater access to trusted healthcare for our communities," said Mohammad Ahmed, Head of Marketing, Sulaiman Habib Hospital.

The launch also comes at a time when cross-border healthcare needs are growing. Practo said its platform now supports continuity of care between Indian and Gulf-based users, allowing patients to search not just by doctor or specialty, but also by symptoms, surgeries, and treatment options.