Arab Health: At the crossroads of healthcare

From advances in surgery to the latest life-saving drugs, and next-gen medical devices to tech trends driving preventive healthcare and longevity – you can find them all under one roof at Arab Health, the region’s most prominent healthcare exhibition and congress.

The in-person event, which began on January 30 will go on until February 2, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The online event runs from January 9 to March 2.

Read: Sheikh Mohammed opens Arab Health 2023

Considering Dubai, and particularly the UAE’s, investment in ensuring the best healthcare for its residents as well as the country’s rising status as a medical tourism hub, Arab Health is supported by government bodies such as the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Government of Dubai; the Dubai Health Authority, the Department of Health, Dubai Healthcare City Authority, and Emirates Health Services.

“The UAE is the world’s fastest-growing medical tourism hub, and its medical tourism revenues are forecasted to touch Dhs19bn by 2023, particularly with the government enabling its growth. The private and public sectors are working closely to strengthen capacity in secondary and tertiary care delivery, setting up specialist centres of care, and introducing advanced capabilities to treat patients, all in an effort to establish the UAE as the medical tourism hub in the region. Arab Health helps bring healthcare providers closer to B2B customers and the general public,” says Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director, Aster DM Healthcare.

More on offer 
To give you an idea of the scale of the event: According to the organisers, Informa Markets, more than 3,000 exhibitors from over 70 countries are part of the show, with 51,000 healthcare professionals attending the four-day event.

These include industry experts, innovators, decision-makers and stakeholders across the healthcare value chain. Visitors can peruse through nine product sectors, displaying the latest developments in disposables, orthopaedics, healthcare and general services, imaging, medical devices, IT, wellness and prevention, and infrastructure and assets.

And it’s not just regional companies leveraging this platform; the exhibition has more than 45 country pavilions, including representation from UK and France. Countries such as New Zealand, Singapore, Tunisia, Indonesia, and Estonia are making their debut at the show for the first time, giving local companies a great platform to share their offerings in the Middle East and Africa.

Saudi Arabia-based Avalon Pharma, for example, aims to showcase their ambitious expansion plans through their presence at the show.

CEO Mohamed Maher Al-Ghannam says “We aim to establish important touchpoints in fresh export markets and Arab Health will provide us with that all-important springboard. We hope to develop deeper learnings, key relationships and opportunities to network with important decision-makers in the pharma industry. This purpose is in synergy with our ambitious expansion plans and aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030’s objectives for economic diversification, coupled with the Saudi Made Program which is a national initiative launched by the Saudi Export Development Authority and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program.”

Al-Ghannam adds, “Our principal focus in the past decade had been to strengthen our identity within the kingdom. We are now poised to establish this expertise internationally across the MENA region, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.”

It’s a big deal 
Last year, deals worth more than Dhs2.8bn were clinched at the event, highlighting that healthcare is big business, particularly in the region. This edition could see similar trends, with the sector’s post-pandemic performance fuelled by an accelerated influx of disruption, innovation, technological advances and heightened consumer awareness.

Ross Williams, exhibition director for Informa Markets, said, “We saw a solid bounce back in 2022, and 2023 is at around 97 per cent of pre-Covid 19 figures, underscoring the global demand, which is matched by buyers keen to witness first-hand the latest innovations and new technologies in the healthcare sector.”

John Sunil, CEO of Burjeel Holding, affirms this. “Arab Health is a platform that offers a unique opportunity for local and regional healthcare providers to access the newest healthcare products and services, connect with leading healthcare industry professionals, explore new business opportunities, and get inspired by the latest innovations and technologies.

As an event also featuring a wide variety of educational sessions and workshops, offering insights on the latest healthcare trends, we look forward to meeting and interacting with the stakeholders.”

Burjeel Holding has had a good year and is targeting more growth, which makes their presence at Arab Health a given.

“Our IPO on ADX, which was oversubscribed multiple times over, raised Dhs1.1bn. The proceeds will power our growth strategy and enable us to continue to deliver accessible quality healthcare in the Middle East,” says Sunil.

The company will be showcasing its network in the UAE and Oman, comprising 16 hospitals and 23 medical centres.

“Our investment in complex care delivery is evident across the scale achieved for several specialist areas and is further demonstrated through our commitment to research and clinical trials. This year, we hope to exchange these advancements with healthcare leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders to learn about these offerings and more,” he says.

Tech and innovation in focus 
Healthcare companies are also looking to showcase their digital initiatives at Arab Health, which has traditionally highlighted the role of technology in healthcare.

Aster DM Healthcare, for one, is shining the spotlight on its myAster Super app.

“Innovation is a core focus of our strategy to meet patient needs and make quality care more accessible and affordable. In line with this philosophy, we recently unveiled the fully integrated, intuitive digital platform with extended features, the myAster Super app, which will empower patients with end-to-end access to its healthcare ecosystem and is being showcased at Arab Health,” says Dr Moopen.

Abdul Latif Jamel Health is also at the event with their partners: Butterfly Network, Melody International, Holoeyes Cyberdyne and Evelo Biosciences, bringing advanced medical devices to the market.

“We are showcasing a broad range of healthcare innovations that are helping accelerate access to next generation medical care. These include the Butterfly iQ+ which is the world’s only single-probe, whole-body, handheld ultrasound device; the Mobile Fetal Monitor iCTG – Melody i, which is a small, smart, mobile fetal monitoring device; Cyberdyne’s Hybrid Assistive Limb – or HAL – which is the world’s first cyborg-type robot exoskeleton; and Holoeyes’ innovative 3D virtual reality technology surgery support system and medical education software,” says Akram Bouchenaki, CEO, Abdul Latif Jamel Health.

Visitors can also see more tech innovations, including a digital intensive care unit, as well as an intelligent operating room and emergency room at Intelligent Health Pavilion (IHP). Located in the Healthcare Transformation Zone, IHP is displaying several new technologies through live demonstrations.

“This new feature allows visitors to experience the most innovative and sustainable healthcare technologies, improving patient care. We also have a seminar theatre, which will provide exhibitors with a platform to reveal the latest cutting-edge healthcare technology,” said Williams.

Focus on innovation and education
This year, Arab Health is also hosting the second edition of the Future Health Summit at the Museum of the Future.

The summit will look into the future of health and healthcare possibilities in the metaverse. Several world-renowned industry leaders, visionaries, metaverse experts, authors, and futurists on the topic will offer their insights.

The Innov8 Talks competition, running from February 30 – March 1, is providing 24 global startups the opportunity to showcase their unique and innovative solutions benefi tting the healthcare industry.

The winner will be announced on March 1.

Nine Continuing Medical Education (CME) conferences will take place during the event, welcoming an anticipated 3,200 delegates and more than 300 international speakers. Internal medicine, pediatrics and anesthesia and pain management are new topics being addressed at the CME conferences this year.

Sustainability remains key 
Another key highlight of the show is its focus on sustainability.

Through its ‘Better Stands’ initiative, the organisers have encouraged exhibitors to move away from disposable exhibition stands and ensure all core elements, such as walls, archways, and counters, are constructed in a way where they can be reused.

Arab Health is also powered by renewable energy.