Arab Health has now transformed into the World Health Expo (WHX).

In addition, a new event focused on technology and innovation, WHX Tech, has also been launched.

Read: Arab Health sends Emirati students to NASA to mark 50th anniversary

WHX, the reimagined version of Arab Health, will encompass multiple healthcare events under one unified banner.

“Individually, events can be impactful, but together, they become even stronger,” said Solenne Singer, Group Director for Informa Markets.

By bringing together various healthcare events under one name, the organisers aim to create more opportunities for meaningful connections, enhance business ventures, and foster stronger, healthier relationships within the healthcare industry.

The World Health Expo is expected to unlock the full potential of these interconnected events. By shedding regional limitations and focusing on a global outlook, the initiative aims to amplify impact and drive meaningful change in healthcare—not just for today, but for the future.

Transformation Zone at Arab Health 2025: All you need to know

Meanwhile, WHX Tech is set to become the hub for healthcare innovation. The event will unite global leaders and cutting-edge digital technologies to drive innovation, improve health outcomes, and transform patient care worldwide.

Arab Health Dubai, currently taking place from January 27–30, has come a long way since its inception in 1979 with just over 40 exhibitors. Originally focused on showcasing medical products, it has since evolved into one of the most recognised healthcare exhibitions in the region, gaining global acclaim in the 2000s.

Arab Health, the Middle East’s largest healthcare event and congress, has partnered with the Astronaut Al Worden Endeavour Scholarship to send five Emirati students on a 10-day trip to the US. The trip will culminate in a week-long immersion at NASA’s US Space Camp and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The scholarship, named in honour of Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, provides students with a passion for space, science, and exploration with the opportunity to participate in an immersive learning experience. It helps them build skills and gain hands-on experience in a diverse, international setting.

At the forefront of the partnership is Kallman Worldwide, organisers of the USA Partnership Pavillion at Arab Health 2025, who have been participating since 1995 and will this year welcome more than 200 companies from the US healthcare industry to reveal the latest innovations in the sector.

“In the past 50 years, Arab Health has been at the forefront of showcasing the latest innovations within the healthcare sector. The partnership allows us to nurture the next generation of UAE innovators, merging space exploration with healthcare advancements to inspire future breakthroughs,” said Sally Thompson, the group Event Director at Informa Markets.

“The theme of this year’s scholarship, ‘Health Sciences and Space Exploration: Pioneering Together for Humanity,’ aligns perfectly with the UAE’s ambitious space and healthcare agendas while underscoring our vision for the next 50 years.”

The scholarship offers a two-part experience, starting with an introduction to the aviation and aerospace industries in Washington and a week-long stay at NASA’s US Space Camp and Rocket Center.

The Emirati students will have the opportunity to attend the Advanced Space Academy and gain mentorship from legendary figures such as Brigadier General Charlie Duke, an Apollo 16 astronaut, and Colonel Mike Bloomfield.

To enter the competition, students aged 16 – 18 submitted a three-minute video addressing the theme ‘Health Sciences and Space Exploration: Pioneering Together for Humanity. ‘ The video discussed how students see space and medicine intersecting and the significance of this.

The winners will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, 29 January, the penultimate day of Arab Health 2025. Sponsors of the competition include AmCham Dubai, Arab Health, Kallman Foundation, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre and the US Space & Rocket Center Home of Space Camp.

Arab Health 2025 will be supported by various government entities, including the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Government of Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority, the Department of Health, and the Dubai Healthcare City Authority.

Read: Arab Health’s landmark 50th edition officially opens today

Abu Dhabi’s PureHealth has agreed to acquire a 60 per cent stake in Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG), valuing the provider of private healthcare services in Greece and Cyprus at $2.31bn (EUR2.2bn).

“CVC Capital Partners will retain 35 per cent of the business while CEO Dimitris Spyridis will own 5 per cent shareholding,” PureHealth said in a bourse filing.

With a capacity of over 1,600 beds, HHG has cemented its position as a leading provider in Greece and Cyprus, delivering advanced medical services across a network of 10 hospitals and 16 diagnostic centres across Greece and Cyprus.

With a team of over 6,700 healthcare professionals, HHG provides care for approximately 1.4 million patients each year. The healthcare services group offers a wide range of medical specialities, including advanced care in oncology, cardiology, and neurosurgery.

The Abu Dhabi-listed healthcare platform said the acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals without disclosing a timeline for its completion.

“The acquisition represents a significant milestone in PureHealth’s strategic expansion, reinforcing our presence in Europe and further solidifying our position as a leader in healthcare,” said Shaista Asif, Group CEO at PureHealth.

“Integrating HHG into our portfolio not only reinforces our position in Europe but also creates significant value for our group by contributing to revenue diversification, driving operational synergies and strengthening our financial performance.”

Meanwhile, ADQ-backed PureHealth has been investing in recent years to grow its portfolio and expand globally. The group completed the acquisition of Circle Health Group, the UK’s largest independent hospital operator, for around $1.2bn in 2023 and a 26.05 per cent stake in Ardent Health for $500m.

With a market capitalisation of $10.8bn (Dhs40bn) as of January 25, 2025, PureHealth’s nine-month profit was 13 per cent year-on-year to Dhs1.4bn, while its revenues rose by 56 per cent to Dhs19bn. The healthcare firm operates more than 100 hospitals and over 300 clinics with 56,000-plus employees.

Read: UAE’s M42 restructures operations to foster growth, innovation

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced the successful completion of a $4bn Reg S bond issuance.

The proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes.

The international bond offering, which is part of PIF’s Euro Medium-Term Note Programme, was four times oversubscribed, with an order book totaling approximately $16bn.

The issuance consists of two tranches:

• $2.4bn (SAR9bn), maturing in five years
• $1.6bn (SAR6bn), maturing in nine and a half years

PIF bond oversubscribed

The strong oversubscription highlights the effectiveness of PIF’s capital-raising strategy.

The issuance further reinforces PIF’s robust financial standing and its adherence to best practices in debt financing.

Ahmed Alrobayan, head of Public Markets, Global Capital Finance at PIF, commented: “Continued strong demand from international institutional investors is a testament to PIF’s diversified investor base, robust medium-term capital raising strategy and strong credit profile.

“These factors allow uninterrupted access to the global capital markets and support PIF’s efforts in driving Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.”

PIF holds an Aa3 rating from Moody’s with a stable outlook, and an A+ rating from Fitch, also with a stable outlook.

The fund’s funding sources include government capital injections, asset transfers from the government, retained earnings from investments, and loans and debt instruments.

Saudi telecoms group (stc Group) said on Tuesday that it had secured a contract worth $8.70bn (SAR32.64bn) from a government entity to build, operate and provide telecommunications infrastructure services.

The telecom giant said in a bourse filing that the contract has a duration of 18 months for preparation and execution, followed by 15 years of project operations.

stc said that the financial impact of the contract would be positive, and revenue will be recognised after the project becomes operational, which is expected to occur in Q4 2026 and continue till the end of the contract.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) raised SAR3.86bn from selling a 2 per cent stake in stc Group. The fund, which sold 6 per cent of stc for $3.2bn in 2021, now holds a 62 per cent stake in the telecoms group after the offering.

Read: Saudi Arabia’s PIF raises $1bn from stc Group stake sale