Middle East's Biggest Healthcare Event Sets New Records

Arab Health 2008 (Dubai, UAE), held from January 28-31, was inaugurated by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, prime minister and vice president of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Described by His Excellency Mr. Humaid Al Qutami, the UAE Minister of Health, as "the greatest science gathering in the Middle East and the Arab world,” Arab Health 2008 broke all past records by putting over 2,200 exhibiting companies from 65 countries on display and attracting over 45,000 medical and trade professionals from over 100 countries as participants at the event. This is a 10% increase over last year's event.

Healthcare specialist and leading industry representatives reported that the considerable growth over the last few years of both the exhibition and the congress is a catalyst for healthcare in the region and represents an important gauge of its process. International reports estimate the Middle East's healthcare sector is worth US$74 billion, and is growing at a rate of 16% annually. The sector, analysts suggest, is emerging as one of the fastest growing and most attractive markets for the world's hospital equipment and services companies, with expenditure on healthcare in the region predicted to continue rising for several years to come. The healthcare spending alone in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is forecast to reach $60 billion annually by 2025-- a fivefold increase over current spending, indicating massive continuous demand for the foreseeable future and triggering phenomenal response from the international manufacturing and service industry.

New models of private and public sector collaboration in healthcare are emerging in the Arabian Gulf as the region deals with the challenge of unprecedented growth, according to industry experts.

The multi-track Arab Health Congress--encompassing 18 internationally accredited conferences in specialized areas of medicine, surgery, and healthcare management with over 400 internationally respected speakers and more than 5,500 delegates--continued to dominate the healthcare literary events around the world as the largest event of its kind in the world.

The event's organizers, IIR Middle East (Dubai, UAE), reported that they had been overwhelmed by demand with conferences sold out. "The Arab Health conferences meet rigorous international standards in continuing medical education and we have been overwhelmed by demand from health professionals from all over the region and elsewhere,” said Simon Page, group director of life sciences at IIR Middle East.

As the Middle East's biggest gathering of medical professionals entered its fourth and final day, the organizers of Arab Health announced that a major part of exhibition space for the 2009 event has already been booked.

The Arab Health Achievement and Innovation Awards, the region's most popular healthcare industry awards, were announced at Arab Health this year at a spectacular gala dinner held at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement of individuals, hospitals, departments, teams, and organizations that have contributed to the growth and development of the Arab health industry.

The 2009 Arab Health event is planned for January 26-29, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center, UAE.


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