Arab Health 2024 pioneers the drive for sustainability in healthcare in the Middle East

| 11 min read

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE, officially opened the 49th edition of Arab Health, the largest healthcare exhibition in the MENA region, on Monday, 29 January.

Under the show theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Transforming Healthcare,’ Arab Health, the largest gathering of healthcare professionals and businesses in the MENA region, welcomed more than 51,000 attendees during the four-day healthcare showcase at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 29 January to 1 February.

The 2024 edition of the show was the largest to date in terms of exhibition space, dominating every hall of the Dubai World Trade Centre, with 3,450 exhibitors and an expected 110,000 professional healthcare visits representing 180 countries from around the world. The Arab Health Congress featured ten Continuing Medical Education (CME) conferences dedicated to over 23,600 professional healthcare visitors, where they heard from more than 330 expert speakers during over 165 sessions.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai toured the 49th edition of Arab Health, the largest healthcare exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

During the tour, His Highness said that a comprehensive medical system and collaboration between local and federal government entities in the UAE, as well as the private sector, have ensured that citizens and residents alike enjoy access to the best healthcare services.

His Highness also highlighted public-private partnerships as a major contributor to the enhanced efficiency of the country’s healthcare sector, bolstering its overall competitiveness and supporting its growth with cutting-edge technologies, advanced facilities, and highly qualified personnel. These advancements contribute to the overall well-being of society, ensuring the best health and quality of life for one and all.

Sheikh Mohammed said that providing best-in-class healthcare services ranks high among the UAE’s development priorities along with the happiness and wellbeing of its people, with these plans serving not only UAE residents but people from all around the region and, indeed, every corner of the world. Arab Health provides an ideal platform to share successful experiences and practices in this regard, His Highness said welcoming exhibitors and attendees who have flocked to Dubai to share ideas and learn about the latest advancements in the medical field.

Commenting on the opening of the exhibition, Ross Williams, Exhibition Director for Informa Markets, said: “Arab Health’s standing as the premier healthcare trade show in the region is based on its comprehensive approach, global reach, unwavering commitment to innovation, and the opportunities it provides for learning, networking, and collaboration within the healthcare sector – ultimately delivering the ultimate healthcare experience.

“With a sharp focus on groundbreaking technology and transformative products enhancing patient care, the next four days promised to be a catalyst for the future of healthcare in the region and on a global scale. This impact was amplified by our international reach and the exceptional calibre of exhibitors showcased, making it a game-changing event for the industry worldwide.”

Elsewhere on the opening day, Dr. Ramadan Al Balooshi from Dubai Health Authority outlined a vision for a ‘New Era of Public Health’ during the opening session at the Public Health Conference, while the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah highlighted the lessons learnt during COVID-19 and the importance of leadership.

Arab Health 2024 was 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.

Key partners included the National Healthcare Champion, PureHealth; Premium healthcare partner, American Hospital; Exclusive healthcare partner, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib; Exclusive health services partner, Emirates Health Services; Global health partner, M2; Future health partner, Neom; Innovation partner, GE HealthCare; and Exclusive AI partner, Canon Medical.

Aster has been one of the longstanding partners of Arab Health since its inception. Aster Pharmacy is taking the lead this year in introducing many new products in alignment with its aim to become the health and wellness hub for people in the MENA region. Most importantly, we are showcasing myAster – a super app for health this year, demonstrating the power of digital health and transformation through the integration of EMR with Telemedicine, CRM, e-pharmacy, etc. With over 1.2 million downloads in less than a year, myAster has become the region’s most popular omnichannel healthcare app.”

The organizers of Arab Health, Informa Markets, had made several additions to the exhibition to make it more sustainable, including utilizing renewable electricity, notably decreasing the event’s carbon footprint. Additionally, a range of eco-friendly practices had been introduced, such as endorsing public transportation through marketing channels and implementing digital solutions like digital badges and paperless registration to minimize material waste. The introduction of the Better Stands program had further incentivized exhibitors and partners to embrace reusable stand structures.

Arab Health 2024, which continued until Thursday, 1 February 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, had showcased groundbreaking technologies at the Smart Hospital and Interoperability Zone, offering immersive demonstrations highlighting the seamless integration of cutting-edge medical equipment and various technologies. Partnering with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the Zone had featured four demonstration rooms spotlighting advancements in labor and delivery, intensive care, and more.

Among the innovative exhibitors at the Zone was e4life, a joint venture between Italian ELT Group and Australian Lendlease, showcasing a device that protects against respiratory viruses with over 90% efficacy by instantly sanitizing the surrounding area. Additionally, CareCloud had showcased a therapy solutions suite that streamlined the entire therapy workflow, enhancing patient engagement and boosting operational efficiency.

The demographic shift in the UAE towards an aging population and the influx of population that we are witnessing currently stimulates increased demand for advanced healthcare, aligning with the government’s focus on medical tourism. Our participation in Arab Health 2024 highlights the dedication of our retail arm Aster Pharmacy to continue progressing in its journey to be known as the health and wellness hub for people in the region, with our myAster app making healthcare services easily accessible for people as per their need and convenience. As we continue to meet evolving patient needs, Aster DM Healthcare GCC remains steadfast in its mission to provide affordable quality healthcare, ensuring a healthier and more connected future for all.”

Emerging trends in health crisis and disaster management revealed at Arab Health 2024

A leading expert in health crisis and disaster management has underscored the importance of pre-hospital care, hospital services, and enabling services, including laboratories and training programs in disaster management, as we move from classical operations to technology-driven disaster medicine.

Speaking at the Public Health Conference on the emerging trends in health crisis and disaster, Dr Saleh Fares Al Ali, Consultant of Emergency Medicine, EMS and Disaster Medicine at the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, revealed disaster management involves more than just having an ambulance on standby at the emergency department.

“It encompasses a wide range of services and requires a comprehensive approach to governance. This includes pre-hospital care, hospital services, and enabling services, including laboratories, training programs, and even poison centres. To effectively manage disasters, we must consider all of these elements as part of a larger system,” said Dr Al Ali.

“An effective response system requires a robust governance framework, well-defined standards, and policies. Additionally, you need an efficient operation centre to connect all the dots. It’s crucial to cover all domains, from pre-hospital to hospital to enabling services, to create a well-orchestrated system,” he added.

One of the key trends discussed by Dr Al Ali was technology and its critical role in managing disasters, where he underscored the importance of artificial intelligence (AI), telehealth, digital transformation and telematics and outlining how AI enhances medical diagnosis and triage by swiftly and accurately analysing patient data, predicting outcomes, and offering treatment recommendations; additionally, AI-driven chatbots provide real-time medical guidance to first responders.

Finally, telematics systems in ambulances, utilising 5G connectivity, offer real-time tracking for location, speed, and status, enhancing response times and route optimisation. Dr Al Ali highlighted a prototype collaboration between the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi and Etisalat whereby ultrasound images to hospitals will be transferred through this technology.

Elsewhere on the agenda at Arab Health, Dubai Health, the first integrated academic health system in Dubai presented a comprehensive overview of Dubai’s first integrated academic health system model.

H.E. Dr Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health, said: “Through a unified commitment to patient-centred care, we are not just shaping the present healthcare landscape, but also laying the foundation for a transformative future anchored in our primary value of ‘Patient First.’ This commitment extends beyond the present, as we strive to create a lasting impact on the lives and wellbeing of our community for generations to come.”

Arab Health 2024 continues until tomorrow, Thursday, 1 February 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, when the winners of the Innov8 startup competition will be revealed. The competition included 24 health-tech startups pitching unique concepts and innovations. The winners of the Cre8 competition will also be revealed. The competition has been designed to foster creativity and innovation among participating students in the UAE. Contestants were required to conceptualise and innovate a solution for an actual healthcare problem within an imaginary AED 100,000 budget.

Illness to Wellness: Health trailblazer says now is the time for the GCC to implement a societal approach to achieve healthy longevity

Dr Mehmood Khan, CEO of Hevolution Foundation, a trailblazer in healthcare and longevity, has urged the healthcare community in the region to address the future issues posed by the ageing population now and implement an all-of-society approach to achieve healthy longevity, during his opening remarks at Arab Health’s Future Health Summit held today at the Museum of the Future.

Aster is also in the education process of 4 essentials, where everybody is advised to take a multivitamin daily with a fish oil supplement, a probiotic with a green supplement. These 4 essentials will prevent you from being sick with generic day-to-day problems. This is part of a longevity and healthy lifestyle. It is a supplement therapy for all of us.

Dubai Health Authority to move towards online audits of health facilities in 2024

The Dubai Health Authority’s Health Regulation Sector will introduce the 2^nd phase of its online regulatory transformation initiative in 2024.  Known as RASED 2, the electronic system will review and approve all the required documents provided by health facilities electronically. Documents will be accredited online for every health facility in Dubai.

The Authority made this announcement at the ongoing Arab Health Congress that’s taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre.

In addition to this, DHA will continue to carry out its online inspections for health facilities through the RASED initiative that was introduced in June 2021 , to move towards a digital system. While in-person inspections will also take place in parallel, the sector has adopted the digital method for areas where online inspections are possible. The DHA’s Health Regulation Sector regularly carries out inspections across hospitals, outpatient clinics, diagnostic centres and pharmacies in Dubai.

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of Health Regulation Sector at the DHA said that that the second phase known as “RASED 2” aims to automatically audit health facilities through the “Sheryan” electronic system.

“At the DHA, we prioritize the use of technology and technological advancements to further bolster the health sector. In the first phase, we introduced online inspections, now we have introduced RASED 2-that provides online audit of all documentation including medical device contracts that are required by health facilities.  This will be applicable for all health facilities in the Emirate of Dubai and significantly add to their convenience, it will be less time-consuming and will be highly efficient.

“Additionally, in-person and random inspections will continue to take place. Our digital transformation drive is in line with the vision of the DHA and Dubai, we aim to deploy smart technologies and solutions and harness them to further develop the health system in the emirate.”

Al Mulla added that the system will greatly enhance efficiencies, speed-up processes, ensure compliance and will facilitate the authority’s digital drive with an aim to provide the highest quality of specialised and accessible high-quality care to patients and utilise technology to enhance hospital management and all regulatory processes to help further strengthen this pivotal sector.

Renowned Singer Elissa Spreads the Message of Hope for Cancer Patients through Burjeel Medical City’s ‘Ring for Life’ Initiative

In a powerful symbol of triumph and hope for cancer patients and survivors, Burjeel Medical City (BMC), the flagship facility of Burjeel Holdings, unveiled the ‘Ring for Life’ initiative during the inaugural day of Arab Health. Renowned Arab singer Elissa, a cancer warrior, graced the event by ceremonially ringing the bell at the BMC booth H6E59, becoming an inspiration to those navigating a cancer diagnosis. The initiative celebrates the significant milestones in patient journeys, from the commencement of treatment to the joyous moment of completion.

Addressing the challenges posed by the projected $25.2 trillion global cost of cancer from 2020 to 2050, the ‘Ring for Life’ initiative seeks to raise awareness and promote solidarity among patients, healthcare professionals, and the broader community. The initiative signals the latest developments and advanced care that are reshaping the landscape of oncology.

During her visit to the BMC booth, Elissa emphasized the importance of raising awareness about cancer in the Arab world, particularly given the high incidence rates, especially for breast cancer.

Recalling her journey with cancer, Elissa said, “Considering my own history, along with my sister and father, who succumbed to cancer, I firmly believe that this disease can be successfully treated if detected early. Regular screening for women with breast cancer is incredibly important, given the significantly high cure rates compared to other types of cancer.”

Elissa considers herself fortunate to have discovered her cancer early, even though she went through a challenging time upon learning about her diagnosis. Initially, as a public figure, she chose to keep her illness private. After completing her treatment, she decided to use her experience to raise awareness about the disease within the community.

“Psychological support from family and friends for cancer patients is very important. Strength and encouragement from loved ones play a crucial role in helping individuals overcome the challenges of the disease,” she added.

“I am proud to take part in this initiative that offers hope to those battling cancer,” said Elissa. Expressing her admiration for Burjeel Medical City, she added, “Burjeel Medical City is a specialized facility that offers comprehensive and advanced care for cancer patients all under one roof. Their technological offerings and world-class expertise are helping patients from everywhere.”

VitruvianMD secures US$10,000 as winner of Arab Health’s Innov8 competition

VitruvianMD has won this year’s Arab Health Innov8 competition and, with it, a cash prize of US$10,000, following an intensive week-long judging process that saw a total of 24 different companies pitch over the opening three days of Arab Health.

VitruvianMD combine biomedical engineering and state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver affordable, high-accuracy diagnostic tools for medical laboratories.

At the core of VitruvianMD’s breakthrough technology is a versatile camera that seamlessly attaches to any microscope, empowered by sophisticated AI tools. This technology paves the way for laboratories to transition effortlessly into a digital pathology framework. In a world where diagnostician shortages remain an acute global challenge, particularly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa with a concerning pathologist-to-population ratio, VitruvianMD’s solutions stand to set new standards.

In addition to the US$10,000 top prize, VitruvianMD will have access to an exclusive mentorship program with Startupbootcamp MENA as well as the opportunity to engage in a series of discussions with potential investors to gain valuable insights and potentially secure new collaborations and raise funds. They will also be given free exhibition space at Arab Health 2025.