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Find out moreThe final Law Update of 2022 is here, and it’s packed full of articles. The double edition features two focus areas, first is a spotlight on Energy and Resources and second we feature a collection of articles on Transport and Logistics. The developments occurring in these sectors in the MENA region are unprecedented and our lawyers cover vast themes for you.
The Energy and Resources focus features topics such as diversifying energy resources, solar PV, mining in the Middle East, renewable energy and green hydrogen. From a transport perspective, we draw attention to the Bahrain metro project, discuss the challenges and remedies associated with the repossession of an aircraft, and there is advice on what to consider should a party vary the terms of a shipping contract.
This edition navigates you through updates from across jurisdictions such as, Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, and the UAE. Each article is timely and provides insights into legal issues and cases that are affecting these sectors across the region.
Read the full editionThe Abu Dhabi Department of Health (“DoH”) has published a Circular (DoH Circular No. (71) of 2020) which states that it will be initiating an audit program to ensure that all healthcare entities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are complying with the Abu Dhabi Healthcare Information and Cyber Security Standards (“ADHICS Standards”).
DoH issued the ADHICS Standards on 3 February 2019 to ensure that the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi harmonises its practices regarding privacy and information security to meet international standards and complement the Abu Dhabi Government’s Policy on the Healthcare Information Exchange (“HIE”) (dated 29/11/2018) to enhance the safety and security of health information.
Effectively there was a 12-month transition period to comply with the ADHICs standards.
The healthcare information and cyber security requirements within ADHICS Standards include standards for the following:
A significant control in the ADHICS Standards is Section CM 4.2 which provides that no healthcare entity can use cloud services or infrastructure to store, process or share information that contain the health information of a patient.
The control further states that healthcare entities must identify and disconnect integration of a system that processes, stores or utilises health information with any systems that connect or utilise cloud services and not share identified or de-identified health information with third parties, inclusive of counterparts and partners, unless authorised by the DoH.
The audit program will be undertaken by the Emirates Classification Society (TASNEEF) through their subsidiary TASNEEF-RINA Business Assurance (TRBA).
The audit program will be conducted in three year cycles, where in the first year of the cycle, there will be an audit conducted by TRBA to check for compliance with ADHICS, where a conformance certificate will be awarded.
In the second and third year of the cycle, there will be a surveillance audit to check for compliance with ADHICS, but no certification is provided for surveillance audits.
For more information regarding compliance with ADHICS Standards, Al Tamimi & Company’s Healthcare Sector and Technology, Media & Telecommunications teams regularly advise on laws and regulations impacting the healthcare sector. For further information please contact healthcare@tamimi.com.
Andrea Tithecott
Partner, Head of Regulatory, Head of Healthcare
a.tithecott@tamimi.com
Andrew Fawcett
Senior Counsel, Technology, Media & Telecommunications
a.fawcett@tamimi.com
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