ABU DHABI, 26th October, 2026 (WAM) — Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), a flagship hospital in the UAE for serious and complex care and a subsidiary of PureHealth, has been ranked among the world’s best hospitals for oncology in Newsweek’s World’s Best Specialised Hospitals 2027, placing second in the UAE and 219th globally.
This recognition underscores SSMC’s growing standing in specialised oncology care across the region and globally, and its commitment to delivering care in line with the highest international standards.
SSMC’s inclusion places its oncology services among the specialised hospitals recognised internationally by Newsweek and Statista, reflecting the strength of its integrated model for increasingly complex and personalised cancer care.
This achievement reflects the combined efforts of SSMC’s medical, nursing, technical and administrative teams, who work together to deliver comprehensive cancer care. It follows SSMC’s recent Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which recognises nursing excellence and gives patients added confidence in the quality and safety of the care they receive.
These recognitions underscore SSMC’s commitment to clinical excellence, an enhanced patient experience, and a culture that places each patient’s individual needs at the centre of every clinical decision.
SSMC brings together expertise across medical, surgical and radiation oncology, haematology, advanced imaging, molecular diagnostics and precision medicine within coordinated cancer pathways. Its capabilities span chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies; advanced radiation therapy; PET and SPECT imaging; minimally invasive interventional oncology procedures including microwave ablation, cryoablation, TACE and TARE; genetic counselling; and multidisciplinary tumour boards. This integrated approach enables specialists to align diagnosis and treatment around the individual needs of patients, including those with complex and rare cancers.
Newsweek’s World’s Best Specialized Hospitals rankings are among the most recognised international benchmarks for healthcare institutions, highlighting clinical expertise and providing an independent measure of institutional standing regionally and globally. Developed in partnership with Statista, the rankings cover 13 medical fields and draw on international peer recognition, supported by hospital accreditations, certifications and centre designations.
Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer of SSMC, said, “Being ranked among the world’s best hospitals for oncology is an important recognition of the expertise our teams have built, and the model of cancer care we are advancing at SSMC. As cancer treatment becomes increasingly complex and personalised, patients need multidisciplinary expertise, precision medicine, advanced technology and research working together around their individual needs. We are providing this level of highly specialised care here in Abu Dhabi, giving patients and families from the UAE, the wider region and internationally greater choice when they need it most. By bringing world-class expertise and advanced treatment closer to home, we can help more patients access the right care while remaining closer to their families and support networks.”
SSMC’s oncology model is supported by its wider academic and research infrastructure, bringing clinical practice, education and research together. SSMC is Joint Commission International (JCI) -accredited and is the first hospital in the UAE to achieve JCI Academic Medical Centre status, reflecting its integration of advanced clinical care with education and research.
Research is also embedded within SSMC’s approach to advancing patient care. Through its dedicated Clinical Trials Unit, SSMC conducts Phase I-IV and other clinical research, with current studies spanning oncology and haematology, including lung cancer, breast cancer, chronic myeloid leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Eligible patients may therefore have opportunities to participate in research evaluating emerging treatments and approaches, under established scientific and ethical protocols.
The recognition reinforces SSMC’s role in strengthening access to advanced oncology care within Abu Dhabi, while contributing to the emirate’s position as a destination for highly specialised healthcare.
Source: Emirates News Agency