Practo, the Bengaluru-based digital health startup that began nearly two decades ago as a doctor discovery platform in India, is making significant strides in its international expansion. The company has now launched its core platform—Practo.com—in the United Arab Emirates, with services now available to residents in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah.
This strategic move deepens Practo’s presence in a region where it has already established a strong foothold through its hospital software solutions. With the launch of its consumer-facing platform in the UAE, Practo aims to connect patients with verified doctors across a range of specialties, including dermatology, dentistry, ENT, gynecology, and psychiatry.
Currently, more than 50,000 users in the UAE are actively engaging with Practo’s services each month. Backed by a network of over 31,000 doctors and 3,000 healthcare facilities, Practo is positioning itself as a comprehensive and user-friendly alternative to traditional hospital networks, which are often fragmented and less accessible.
A significant aspect of Practo’s UAE rollout is its plan to integrate insurance data at the doctor level by the end of the month. In a healthcare system where insurance coverage is crucial, this feature will enable patients to make more informed and cost-effective decisions about their care.
This international expansion follows a financially strong year for the company. Practo reported profitability in FY24 and maintained positive cash flow into FY25. Shashank ND, Practo’s co-founder and CEO, emphasized that this move reflects the company’s broader ambition to export Indian healthcare innovations to the global stage. “The initial response in the UAE has been encouraging,” said Shashank. “This is just the beginning as we scale our efforts to improve healthcare outcomes worldwide.”
Practo’s relationship with the UAE is not new. Its enterprise solution, Insta by Practo, has been powering operations at major healthcare institutions such as Emirates Hospital, Life Medical Center, and Healthcare Organisation UAE for over a decade. The current expansion, however, marks a shift in focus toward direct-to-consumer healthcare services.
By combining features like doctor discovery, appointment booking, and patient reviews, Practo replicates the successful model that helped it grow to over 400 million users in India. Early partners in the UAE include Sulaiman Habib Hospital and Clinics, e-Kaya Skin Clinic, Micris Dental, Smile on Dental Clinic, and Quintinha Hospitals.
“As healthcare continues to become more connected across borders, we believe this platform will offer patients an easier, more transparent way to find and connect with quality providers,” said Mohammad Ahmed, Head of Marketing at Sulaiman Habib Hospital. “We are pleased to be among the early adopters.”
In an increasingly globalized world, cross-border healthcare needs are growing, and Practo is stepping in to bridge the gap. Its platform now enables continuity of care for patients across India and the Gulf, supporting searches not only by doctor or specialty, but also by symptoms, surgeries, and treatment options.
With this launch, Practo is not just expanding geographically—it is reshaping how digital healthcare is accessed and delivered in the Middle East.