Post by Ahmed Shaaban

2025 was not just another year. It was a year defined by responsibility, resilience, and measurable impact. Over the past year, I had the privilege of contributing to one of the most meaningful missions of my career: enabling more SMA patients to access life-changing treatment safely, efficiently, and with dignity. Behind every treated patient is a family holding its breath, caregivers carrying an immense emotional and physical burden, and healthcare teams pushing boundaries every day. Witnessing children treated on time, families regain hope, and caregivers supported through the journey reinforced once again why our work truly matters. None of this happened by chance. This progress was driven by disciplined orchestration across cross-functional teams medical, access, supply chain, regulatory, quality, operations, and our healthcare professional partners operating as one integrated system, not silos. Along the way, we navigated real complexities: regulatory hurdles, operational constraints, logistics pressure, and moments when the easy answer would have been “no.” Instead, we aligned, recalibrated, and executed together. What makes me especially proud is how the UAE team has emerged as a global role model. The speed, efficiency, and patient-centric execution demonstrated here are not merely benchmarks they are true differentiators. Patients in the UAE are accessing treatment faster than anywhere else, setting a standard that many countries now look to emulate. I am deeply grateful to the colleagues who stood shoulder to shoulder with me throughout this journey through late nights, tough decisions, and critical moments. Your commitment, trust, and unwavering belief in the mission transformed challenges into outcomes. You know who you are, and I am proud to call you partners. Looking ahead, the mission is far from complete. My strategic focus remains clear: • Expanding access to reach more SMA patients and families • Strengthening healthcare ecosystem readiness and sustainability • Continuing to be the “most-yes” partner for healthcare communities • Raising the bar even higher for speed, quality, and cross-functional collaboration Because for SMA patients, timing isn’t a KPI it’s everything. Onward. Always. Lynn Khairallah Aline Sarkis, PharmD, MPH Marina AlBada Moataz M. Ajith Kumar lara rajab Haidy Kamel Saad Ahmed Mohamed Abdallah Alya Alnajjar Rajalakshmi T S Suzana Sacirovic Adeline Yao Novartis Gulf | نوفارتس الخليج #SMA_Genetherapy #SMA