NUHS, Ericsson and Singtel to showcase connected health at MWC26 Barcelona with a robot nurse companion, 3D holographic surgical planning and next-gen hospital-at-home technology
24 February 2026, London: The GSMA today announced a strategic agreement between GSMA Foundry, the mobile industry’s collaborative innovation hub, and Singapore’s National University Health System (NUHS), a fully integrated academic and regional health system that delivers value-driven, innovative and sustainable healthcare in Singapore.
The new partnership is committed to transforming healthcare delivery by integrating advanced mobile technologies such as 5G private networks with digital twin, XR, IoT devices and ambient AI. The collaboration will initially focus on global collaboration and technical acceleration in areas such as 5G enabled remote surgical assistance, XR training and simulation, robotic systems and intelligent facilities management.
Adjunct Associate Professor Gao Yujia, Assistant Group Chief Technology Officer at National University Health System (NUHS), commented: “By harnessing advanced connectivity and innovative technologies such as ambient AI, XR and robotics, we are accelerating the development of truly intelligent hospitals. This integrated approach enhances clinical workflows and allows care teams to work more efficiently and effectively. I am passionate about how AI and connected systems can transform hospital operations – elevating precision, improving patient experience and empowering clinicians with the tools they need to deliver better outcomes across every stage of care.”
Richard Cockle, Head of GSMA Foundry, said: “Connected health is one of the most impactful frontiers for mobile technology. Our agreement with NUHS demonstrates how collaboration can accelerate innovation, delivering secure, scalable solutions that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. We are excited to start work at sites in Singapore with more early adopter centres to follow worldwide.”
Daniel Ode, Head of Ericsson Singapore, Philippines and Brunei, shared: “Ericsson is proud to be a core enabler of the connected health journey led in Singapore by NUHS. In partnership with Singtel, we have shown how differentiated connectivity, built on high-performance 5G and combined with AI and robotics technologies, have already delivered tangible patient and operational benefits over the past few years. We are excited to see these efforts now being showcased to a global audience, amplifying the impact of our joint work. This is a journey we are excited to continue – advancing secure, scalable healthcare solutions that extend care beyond hospitals into new contexts worldwide.”
Keith Leong, Chief Customer Officer, Enterprise, Singtel Singapore, said: “Singtel’s advanced 5G standalone network, secure virtual private networks and network slicing capabilities are purpose-built to support the most demanding healthcare environments, delivering the ultra-reliable, low-latency and secure connectivity required for mission-critical applications. Working closely with NUHS, we have already demonstrated tangible outcomes — from enabling remote surgical support and immersive XR training to powering intelligent robotics and hospital-at-home models that improve patient experience and clinical efficiency. Through the GSMA Foundry, we are excited to scale these innovations and push the boundaries of connected health to accelerate the next wave of advancements towards 6G-enabled care.”
NUHS and GSMA Foundry at MWC26 Barcelona
At MWC26 Barcelona, NUHS will be prominently featured at the GSMA Pavilion, Hall 4 where they will showcase the future of healthcare powered by AI and 5G, in collaboration with Ericsson and Singtel. Visitors to the GSMA Pavilion will have the opportunity to experience groundbreaking innovations including a robot nurse companion, 3D holographic surgical planning with Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, AI-driven augmented reality for precise vein detection and advanced hospital-at-home technology that extends care beyond traditional hospital settings.
Dr. Gao will participate in several key sessions at the show, including the Digital Health Summit and Global Health Connector Summit at 4YFN, sharing his expertise on harnessing connectivity and artificial intelligence to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery, drive digital transformation and democratise medical expertise for communities worldwide. These sessions will provide valuable insights into the practical applications and future potential of connected health solutions, further reinforcing NUHS’s commitment to innovation and excellence in patient care.
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The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
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