Nala: The first-ever AI medical platform in Arabic

Short Url
Updated 16 May 2022
Follow

Nala: The first-ever AI medical platform in Arabic

  • Nala founder Othman Abahussein spells out how developers with a vision can create health impact through apps

RIYADH: Headquartered in Riyadh, Nala is Saudi Arabia’s leading digital health service for chronic conditions management and the first-ever AI medical platform in Arabic. The app offers tailored digital care programs, virtual access to dedicated doctors, bluetooth health devices, and prescriptions delivery.

In line with one of the Kingdom’s initiatives for Vision 2030, related to digital healthcare transformation, the platform provides its users with instant access to personalized healthcare through a mobile app. “Over 200,000 patients with chronic conditions have used Nala, and we are on track to serve 1 million,” said Othman Abahussein, founder and CEO of Nala. He added: “Nala is now the most preferred method to treat diabetes for insurance companies and government payers. Our whole team is in Riyadh, and all of our human capital investments go into local talents. We made a bet on local talent, and we are very proud of that.” 

Featured multiple times by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and the winner of numerous awards, Nala has doctors licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and is consistently top ranking in app stores. The company also recently raised more funds that it intends to use to continue to grow its user base and further strengthen its position as the region’s top digital health service.” 
Asked about what inspired him to create the Nala app, Abahussein said: “I had just sold my first company, and I wanted to work on something with an impact. I then went through a personal event that made me think, maybe chronic conditions are a perfect application for mobile digital health. I knew I had the required knowledge and experience to venture into app development; in addition I always believed Apple technologies and specifically the iPhone was a marvel of human engineering with many serious capabilities — not gimmicks — and would work well with my vision. This is how I decided to develop in an iOS environment at first.”

“Besides providing app creators with the ultimate distribution channel (App Store), Apple has a very active and supportive developer community that will help you with insights on how to improve your app and make your solutions even more effective,” he said.

“Our main mission is to provide exceptional health care experience while maintaining a significant low cost for patients and preserving their medical privacy. Developing on the iOS platform allowed us to design Nala’s databases in a way medical data is stored without personal identifiers; this way no one can access the patient info without the patient’s consent.”

Abahussein added: “Our first versions were exclusively in Arabic, so it’s an Arabic-first app. We later added an English translation and we plan on adding other languages soon (Urdu and Hindi). There were no challenges in creating an all-Arabic app other than picking the right fonts.” 

On keeping his app up-to-date despite new trends and constantly changing user behaviors, he said: “We stay close to technological developments and its impact on user behaviors; conferences like WWDC are very important for us to discover new capabilities and update our user experience accordingly. We also make sure to keep a short development cycle to ensure that our app is always up-to-the-minute.” 

Asked about his top tips for developers who want to create a successful app, Abahussein said: “Be obsessed with the problem, not the solution. Everyone can code! Don’t be intimidated by the platform, techniques or environment as you’ll always find the required resources to support you on your journey, especially if the app you want to create is worth it and solves a problem within its field or community.”
 

 


Riyad Bank and Mastercard join forces to empower MSMEs

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Riyad Bank and Mastercard join forces to empower MSMEs

Riyad Bank and Mastercard have collaborated to provide small and medium-sized businesses in Saudi Arabia with enhanced access to funding. The two entities have introduced a unique credit card program offering micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises access to financial solutions to grow and thrive.

As part of the agreement, Riyad Bank will enable MSMEs across the Kingdom with a three-tier credit program providing greater choice and flexibility in the form of unique cards: the Mastercard NMOO Business Credit Card, Mastercard NMOO Executive Credit Card, and Mastercard NMOO World Credit Card.

Each of these unique products will offer flexible limits, supporting enterprises and entrepreneurs to take greater control of their futures. They will deliver real-time solutions that support MSMEs to help buy, operate and sell, bridging financing gaps, and providing access to funding by enabling enterprises to get approved for credit facilities, for example, for business expansion.

“As one of the largest financial institutions in the Kingdom, we are fully committed to serving as a trusted financial solutions partner to the people, businesses, and entities we support,” said Mohammed Abo Al-Naja, chief corporate banking officer, Riyad Bank. “Over the years, we have helped to drive the growth and development of Saudi Arabia’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises ecosystem, and today, we are more determined than ever to empower businesses to realize their potential. We are pleased to have partnered with Mastercard to launch our truly novel three-tier credit program, powering the future of MSMEs with timely access to crucial funding.”

“At a time when Saudi entrepreneurship is truly beginning to flourish, we recognize that effective partnerships and innovation are essential to empowering micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to advance and thrive,” said Adam Jones, EVP and division president, West Arabia, Mastercard. “Our partnership with Riyad Bank was launched with this goal in mind. Together, we aim to provide MSMEs with essential access to critical lending and funding. We look forward to expanding our first-of-its-kind program to more businesses across the country and supporting them in achieving their goals.”


SAS digital twins transform manufacturing

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

SAS digital twins transform manufacturing

SAS is poised to help transform critical processes in the manufacturing industry with enhanced digital twins that combine SAS’ powerful AI and advanced analytics with Unreal Engine from Epic Games.

With these digital twins, manufacturers like Georgia-Pacific can experiment with new strategies in simulated digital worlds, then take the best approaches and implement them in the real world.
One of the world’s leading manufacturers of paper and wood-based building products, GP is piloting these enhanced digital twins at its Savannah River Mill, which manufactures napkins, paper towels and toilet tissue.

GP is leveraging SAS’ technology to optimize its use of automated guided vehicles and other processes.

 


New digital health platform for pilgrims

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

New digital health platform for pilgrims

Healthtrip, the world’s largest health travel platform, has launched Healinharam.com, a dedicated digital platform that connects international tourists, particularly pilgrims, to a trusted network of medical, wellness, and chronic care services across Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah.

The initiative directly supports Saudi Arabia’s broader ambition to establish itself as a global hub for medical and wellness tourism, in line with Vision 2030.

It also responds to increasing demand for high-quality care services during pilgrimage as the Kingdom continues to rapidly scale its healthcare infrastructure and wellness offerings.

Through Healinharam.com, pilgrims can now book health screenings, wellness therapies, and essential treatments such as dialysis, chemotherapy, and others, at leading Saudi hospitals.


Najm showcases traffic accident response system

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Najm showcases traffic accident response system

Abdullah Al-Khalaf, acting CEO of Najm for Insurance Services, announced that the company has developed an integrated digital system for its traffic accident inspection service.

This development contributes to improving the efficiency and speed of handling and responding to traffic accidents, ensuring the safety of road users, reducing traffic congestion, and supporting environmental sustainability.

This announcement came during Najm’s participation in a workshop organized by Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, titled “Mechanisms for Dealing with Road Accident Offenders Under the Influence of Drugs.”

The event was held on May 28–29, with the participation of Arab and international experts specializing in security and safety.

Al-Khalaf emphasized Najm’s role in supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 through the development of a smart, digital insurance sector.


XYZVerse warns against ongoing phishing scams targeting community

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

XYZVerse warns against ongoing phishing scams targeting community

The XYZVerse team has alerted its community to an increase in phishing scams and impersonation attempts by malicious actors posing as official representatives. The warning has been posted on XYZVerse’s official X account. These scammers are distributing fraudulent links, attempting to deceive users into revealing sensitive wallet information or transferring funds under false pretenses.

The rise in scam activity comes as XYZVerse gains momentum within the Web3 and meme coin space. With a growing community, rising visibility, and ongoing project development, the platform has become a target for opportunistic attackers seeking to exploit its success.

To maintain transparency and security, XYZVerse has undergone independent security audits conducted by Pessimistic and SolidProof, two established firms in the Web3 security space. These audits are designed to assess and validate the integrity of the project’s smart contracts, helping to identify potential vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

The project’s official Polygon-based token address is publicly available on the XYZVerse website, and XYZ tokens are only available for purchase through the official website: xyzverse.io.

Warning signs of a scam:

  • Messages from fake “XYZVerse Support” or team members
  • Suspicious links promising exclusive airdrops or claiming token sale updates
  • Requests for wallet access, seed phrases, or private keys

Fake communication often mimics the tone and branding of the project’s official channels. These attempts have included messages from unaffiliated Telegram or social media accounts, links to counterfeit airdrops, and websites mimicking the xyzverse.io domain. No legitimate communication will request wallet credentials, seed phrases, or private access information.

XYZVerse is actively monitoring the situation in coordination with its security partners and will continue taking steps to minimize exposure to fraudulent activity. Updates will be shared through established and verified communication channels.