DP World, UAE Region’s Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) has witnessed a 12 per cent growth in its healthcare and pharmaceuticals customer base during the 2019-2020 period. 

 

To showcase their commitment to promote the growth of healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, DP World, UAE Region and Jafza will participate in Arab Health 2021, one of the leading medical equipment exhibitions in the Middle East.

 

As one of the most important contributing sectors in the free zone, the healthcare and pharmaceuticals segment is one of the key economic pillars in Jafza. 

 

Spanning over a 170,000 sq m area, and currently, housing 174 companies from 41 countries, the segment provides jobs to 1,100 employees. 

 

In 2019, the volume of trade in the segment stood at 25,000 MT, worth AED900 million ($245 million).

 

The healthcare sector in the UAE has rapidly expanded to meet the evolving needs of the population, helping the nation in its endeavour to become a regional medical tourism hub. 

DP World, UAE Region and Jafza said partnerships and initiatives by the government and private and public sector companies were helping to achieve these goals. It has been at the forefront, ensuring sustainable growth of this sector.

 

CEO and Managing Director Abdulla bin Damithan said: "The boom in the healthcare and pharmaceuticals segment in Jafza has highlighted the core competencies of the sector in the Middle East and the seamless connectivity DP World, UAE Region offers to over 3.5 billion consumers through the highly efficient trade and logistics hub in Jebel Ali, which includes Jafza and the Jebel Ali Port."

 

"Our trade and logistics hub has expedited global distribution of Covid-19 equipment and played a key role in the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance, an initiative launched in January 2021. As a smart trade enabler, we have ensured a flawless supply chain throughout 2020, irrespective of the dynamic market conditions," noted Damithan. 

 

As the only free zone with the ability to support indigenous manufacturing for the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector, Jafza has facilities dedicated to the storage of ancillary vaccine preparation and administration items. 

 

Additionally, Jebel Ali Port has temperature-controlled warehouses and also consists of nearly 10,000 reefer points spread across the terminals to power refrigerated containers and support the pharmaceutical trade, he added.-TradeArabia News Service