Practo expands to UAE as gateway to global healthcare market

UAE – Practo, India’s leading digital healthcare platform, has officially launched in the United Arab Emirates, marking its first major step into global markets.

Residents in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah can now book appointments with verified doctors and access patient reviews, all through Practo’s user-friendly app.

With over 17 years in healthcare technology, Practo brings a strong foundation to the UAE. The platform already features over 31,000 listed doctors and 3,000 medical centers in the region.

Early healthcare partners include trusted names like e-Kaya Skin Clinic, Sulaiman Habib Hospital, and Micris Dental. Currently, 50,000 users in the UAE actively use the platform each month.

Practo’s services go beyond just booking appointments. Users can find specialists in areas such as dentistry, dermatology, gynecology, and mental health.

By offering verified doctor profiles, patient feedback, and instant booking, the platform helps people make smarter health decisions faster.

This launch is a key part of Practo’s broader global strategy. Although the company has operated behind the scenes in the UAE for years through its hospital software Insta by Practo, this is its first direct-to-consumer rollout in the region.

CEO and Co-founder Shashank ND highlighted the region’s high-quality healthcare, the large Indian community, and strong medical tourism links as reasons for choosing the UAE as a launchpad.

Since going live, Practo has seen promising growth in the UAE. It now works with over 250 paying medical partners and is generating nearly ₹100 crore (US$ 11.7 million) in annualized gross merchandise value (GMV).

The platform serves nearly half a million users annually—about 10% of the local population.

Encouraged by this early success, Practo plans to strengthen its presence in the UAE before entering other international markets.

According to Shashank, pilots are already underway in several developed countries, and new rollouts are expected soon.

A major part of Practo’s expansion strategy is to localize first, by onboarding doctors, clinics, and hospitals in the new market, then connect those services to its Indian network.

This approach benefits both residents and medical tourists by enabling seamless access to advanced care and trusted second opinions from top Indian doctors.

“There’s huge potential in cross-border care,” Shashank said. “Indian doctors are well respected, and we want to help them reach patients globally.”

Practo’s international push follows a strong financial year, where the company turned profitable in Q4 of FY24 and maintained profitability through FY25.