Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)
An Abu Dhabi-born startup founded by two Emirati brothers is trying to make primary healthcare more accessible through a mix of home visits, virtual consultations, and clinic-based services.
The UAE's designation of 2026 as the Year of Family places a national focus on strengthening family bonds, social wellbeing, and community cohesion.
For Prof Ashraf Alzaabi and Omar Alzaabi, that idea extends into business through Housecall - part of a growing wave of family-led startups emerging from the UAE's innovation ecosystem.
The company's healthcare model doesn't target convenience for its own sake; it ensures patients have the right level of care at the right time.
"Primary care works best when it is easy for families to access. In many ways, what we are building is a modern version of what family medicine was always meant to be," Prof Ashraf, Co-founder and CEO of Housecall, told Aletihad.
He traces the concept back to his medical training in Ireland, where he accompanied a mentor physician on home visits.
"What we are doing with Housecall is bringing that model into the present, combining the personal nature of traditional family medicine with the convenience and efficiency of modern technology," Prof Ashraf explained.
How it Works
While telehealth has expanded rapidly in recent years, its limitations remain a key consideration for the founders. Convenience, they emphasised, should not come at the expense of clinical quality.
"There are situations where a doctor needs to examine a patient in person. Our model allows us to start virtually and transition to home visits when needed," Prof Ashraf said.
He noted that this approach aligns with Abu Dhabi's regulatory framework, which requires in-person assessments in certain cases, particularly for chronic disease management.
Omar, Co-founder and CTO, added that the emirate's healthcare ecosystem has been a key enabler rather than a constraint. "In healthcare, trust matters," he told Aletihad. "Strong, well-designed regulation creates the foundation to build responsibly and scale with confidence."
Programmes such as the Department of Health's Health Tech Hub, in collaboration with Hub71, helped the startup navigate regulatory pathways and connect with key stakeholders early on.
The emirate's digital health infrastructure, including integrated health information exchanges, has also supported more seamless and coordinated care delivery, according to Omar.
Family Matters
The company's growth has been shaped not only by policy and infrastructure, but by family dynamics. "As a practising physician, I naturally look at Housecall through the lens of clinical quality, patient trust, and the standard of care we want to build the company around," said Prof Ashraf.
"Omar thinks in systems: how do you take a high standard of care and build the product, technology, and controls that make it repeatable and scalable in the real world?"
The team also includes Prof Ashraf's daughter Fatima, who brings policy expertise and a strong understanding of how healthcare systems affect communities.
While roles are now clearly defined, the early days required flexibility. According to Omar, working as a family brings both advantages and challenges.
"Trust is built in, so decisions can move faster," said Omar. "But disagreements can carry more weight. What has helped us is that we have always tried to stay anchored in the mission, and that shared purpose has made family dynamics a net strength for our startup."
While Housecall was built and tested in the UAE, its founders see potential for expansion in the region and beyond. "The need we are addressing – accessible, high-quality primary care delivered through a hybrid model – is global," said Prof Ashraf. "While our roots are firmly in the UAE, our ambition is definitely broader."
This vision, he added, has been reinforced by Housecall's position within Abu Dhabi's ecosystem for tech startups, Hub71, enabling access to investors, mentors, and a network of founders, which helped sharpen the company's strategy and accelerate its growth.