Arab Health Show Could See ‘Billions’ in Deals

posted on: Jan 25, 2011

Billions of dollars in deals are expected at the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress, which started Monday in Dubai.

“This is the second largest health care exhibition in the world,” John Wallace, the show’s marketing manager, told Arabian Business. Though speculative, he said deals made between exhibitors would “run into the hundreds of millions, possibly billions.”

This year, the show’s biggest contingent is from China, with over 400 exhibitors, more than 350 from Germany, strong representation from the UAE, US, Turkey and UK, and first-timers including Argentina, Japan and Singapore.

Space for the show was sold out with over 2,800 exhibitors.

“There’s been a big growth the last two years,” Wallace said. Unlike the West, where public healthcare programmes are being shunned for the private sector, “this region is very strong for healthcare – there’s lots invested in healthcare in Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain. There’s a lot of government support whereas in the West you see a movement into private healthcare.

“What’s going on in this region in the healthcare market is very exciting.”

The event is going into its 36th year.

“Arab Health is now a world event,” Wallace said.

Karen Leigh
Arabian Business