Sheikh Hamdan opens Arab Health and Medlab Middle East Exhibition and Congress 2022 in Dubai

Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, on Monday inaugurated Arab Health 2022 and Medlab Middle East Exhibition and Congress 2022 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

The four-day event, which brings together 3,500 exhibitors from 60 countries, offers a platform for cutting-edge technology and the latest innovations designed to tackle the most pressing health challenges of today and tomorrow.

The Medlab Middle East Exhibition, the region’s leading exhibition for the laboratory industry, is held in parallel to Arab Health. A series of panel discussions and keynote presentations from leaders within the industry will highlight the latest advancements within the sector. Medlab Middle East will showcase the latest innovations from the laboratory industry via a range of product displays and talks.

Held under the themes of ‘United by business, driving the industry forward’ and ‘Connect with innovation that’s changing the face of diagnostics’, the in-person events are expected to welcome more than 60,000 attendees during the four-day healthcare and laboratory showcases.

More than 550 regional and international speakers as well as 21 Continuous Medical Education (CME) conferences will present keynote speeches, scientific lectures and industry briefings.

Praise for health sector

Sheikh Hamdan highlighted the importance of hosting the event, especially as the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Dubai’s ability to provide a safe venue for international events ensures industry leaders and professionals can meet to find solutions to the biggest health challenges facing humanity, he said.

Sheikh Hamdan also praised the commitment of global participants in the healthcare sector to meet in emirate to discuss the latest developments in the industry as well as exchange knowledge and insights.

The Crown Prince of Dubai also commended the UAE and Dubai’s healthcare sector for its remarkable level of readiness and capabilities. The country’s robust infrastructure combined with its highly-qualified medical personnel has helped it effectively combat the global pandemic over the last two years, he said.

Extensive tour

Sheikh Hamdan toured the venue accompanied by Dr Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention; Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism; and Awadh Al Ketbi, Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

During his tour, Sheikh Hamdan visited the DHA’s stand, where he was briefed on the authority’s services and smart apps, such as the ‘Dubai Heart Safe City Project’, ‘Doctor for Every Citizen’ and NABIDH project. He was also briefed on a number of medical and pharmaceutical products that bear the label ‘Made in Dubai’.

Sheikh Hamdan also visited the Ministry of Health and Prevention stand, where he was briefed about the ministry’s digital services, as well as its innovative products and initiatives.

Another stop during his tour was the Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health stand, during which he learnt about its latest healthcare projects, including the ‘Medical Education Hub’, ‘Disease Registries’, ‘COVID-19 Epidemiological Forecasting Model’, ‘Government Health Platform’, ‘Digital Birth Certificate’, ‘AI-enabled Pandemic Manual’, ‘Vaccine Effectiveness Dashboard’, ‘Long COVID-19 Dashboard’, and ‘Virtual Care Platform’.

Sheikh Hamdan also visited the stands of Siemens, Elektra, Philips, United Imagine, Medtronic and General Motors.

Networking platform

Commenting on the opening, Solenne Singer, Group Director for Informa Markets, said: “The next four days are an opportunity to celebrate the healthcare and laboratory industries while also providing a stage to showcase thousands of products to a global audience all under one roof. A vital attribute of both exhibitions is the platform for peer-to-peer networking while fostering knowledge through insights and expert analysis as part of the CME conferences.”

Singer added: “Last year, Arab Health and Medlab Middle East focused on recovery; this year, while we are mindful of the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, we also recognise the role we have in supporting the healthcare and laboratory sectors in the region and globally to realign and drive the industry forward.”

A virtual showcase of Arab Health and Medlab Middle East will continue until July 22.