The 2013 edition of Arab Health Exhibition and Congress, the Middle East’s largest healthcare event, opened today in Dubai featuring over 3,500 exhibitors from 63 countries and more than 7,500 conference delegates.

The 38th edition of the event, which runs until January 31 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre was inaugurated today by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance and Industry of the UAE.

The exhibition is attended by more than 80,000 healthcare professionals as they aim to tackle the growing diverse health issues across the Middle East ranging from the increasing demand for healthcare services, growing healthcare costs and the increase of lifestyle diseases in the region.

Michael H Corbin, UA Ambassador to the UAE, said: “For the US, the annual Arab Health trade show has proven to be an excellent opportunity to showcase America’s leadership in all aspects of healthcare to a worldwide audience.”

“Exhibitors will show how to reduce risk, increase safety, save time, money and energy, and get better outcomes everywhere from the operating room to the laundry to the COO’s office.  Last year, for example, US businesses signed some $40 million in contracts.

“With more than 181 US companies present this year, I fully expect that Arab Health 2013 will prove, yet again, why US exhibitors want to come to the UAE.  I can think of no better venue to highlight U.S. cutting edge medical technology to the international market,” he added.

Simon Page, managing director, Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, organisers of Arab Health, said: “This year’s event is one of the strongest we have seen in terms of numbers of exhibitors, conference speakers and attending delegates. This reconfirms Arab Health as the key regional and international platform for the healthcare industry to share leading edge products and innovations, industry insights and trend forecasts plus the latest updates that impact our ever evolving industry.”

This year, major delegations have come from China with 428 participating companies (40 per cent increase from 2012), India with over 111 companies (5 per cent increase from last year) and United Arab Emirates, with more than 200 companies exhibiting (10 per cent increase). Large representations also come from France, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan with upwards of 100 companies each.

“It is also a clear vote of confidence in the continuing development of the region’s healthcare sector, which is estimated to triple its spending to $133.19bn in 2018,” said Page.

Key topics being discussed at the Arab Health Congress include big data, robotic surgery, and complementary medicine and, for the first time, the Congress will host a dedicated diabetes conference.

A total of 19 healthcare conferences will be held over the next four days. – TradeArabia News Service