Belgium-based Agfa HealthCare Solutions recently concluded a series of business development meeting in Saudi Arabia to promote the company’s solutions and plans for the local market.

Saudi Arabia’s healthcare budget is set to increase from $27.4 billion in 2013 to $47.7 billion by 2017, said a statement.

The healthcare and medical equipments industries in the Middle East and GCC are on track for growth in the next few years, especially as countries in the region plan to build hospitals and advanced medical centres, besides expanding their current facilities, it said.

Saudi Arabia plans to increase the number of hospitals around the kingdom, and incorporate a big healthcare digitisation plan to help exchange patient information across the country with the target of providing better healthcare services to patients wherever they are located.

The provider hosted a dinner gathering for top-tier healthcare professionals in Saudi at the Belgium Embassy in Riyadh in the presence of the Belgian Ambassador Marc Vinck and Christian Reinaudo, CEO and president of the Belgium group.

The medical equipments market is experiencing tremendrous growth driven by factors including population group, urbanisation, increase in government healthcare investments, initiatives and strategies, and the increasing prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and cancer, said the statement. - TradeArabia News Service