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Innovation and technology
took center stage during the
Inaugural Future Health
Summit at Arab Health
(Dubai, UAE) -
Senior government
healthcare officials, CEOs,
and visionaries from around
the world, attended the
inaugural Future Health
Summit on Tuesday 25
January, to hear from a
range of experts on the
future of the healthcare and
laboratory industries.
The invitation-only,
in-person summit, organized
by Arab
Health and Medlab Middle
East, addressed some of the
most critical issues
impacting the global
healthcare industry and the
barriers and opportunities
for securing sustainable
healthcare for all.
Open remarks were made by
H.E Dr Amin Hussain Al
Ameeri, Asst. Undersecretary
of Health Regulation Sector,
UAE Ministry of Health and
Prevention. Lord Stephen
Carter, Baron Carter of
Barnes, CEO Informa,
welcomed guests and
underscored the importance
of the healthcare industry
coming together to discuss
and debate the way forward.
He said:
“First and
foremost, it is a testament
to the discipline, the
professionalism, and the
dedication of the
authorities in the UAE to
make this a safe place for
people to meet, to trade, to
learn, and to transact. What
we are seeing at Arab Health
and Medlab Middle East is a
showcase at the beginning of
the year for the rest of the
world as we begin to see
ourselves move on from the
pandemic.
“We hope
that as we move from
pandemic to endemic, as we
learn to live alongside a
change in circumstance and
everything that goes with
it, we can share those
learnings.
“If we've
learned nothing over the
last two years, we've
learned that sustainability
and innovations are now
center stage for countries,
for companies and industrial
sectors. And I know of no
topics that are more
important for the markets we
serve.”
One of the
highlights of the evening
was a panel discussion
focused on sustainability,
innovation, and the future
of healthcare.
Moderated by Marwan
Abdulaziz Janahi, Managing
Director, Dubai Science Park
with panelists included; Dr
Alaa Murabit, Medical
Doctor, Global Security
Strategist, Women’s Rights
Advocate and United Nations
High-Level Commissioner on
Health, Employment &
Economic Growth; Dr Sameh
El-Saharty, Program Leader
for Human Development, GCC
Country Department, The
World Bank; and Veronica
Beneitez Piñero, Deputy Head
of Unit, Transition and
Business, European
Commission.
The group
explored the innovative
concepts in securing
sustainable healthcare,
addressing healthcare
reform, gaining efficiencies
in healthcare spending, and
capitalizing on the
transformative power of the
digital era.
Discussing the actions
required to strengthen
health financing systems,
especially for lower-income
countries, Dr Alaa said:
“It has been an advocacy
of the healthcare community
to urge and usher in
universal healthcare as a
shared understanding that
health care is a fundamental
human right. What we have
seen the most clearly in
countries that are
accountable for the
percentage of financing that
they put into health care
and hold themselves
accountable to that number
have done best. Nigeria is a
good example of this.”
One of the key learning
from the panel discussion
was the importance of
recognizing health system
should not be looked upon in
silo, as every government
department has a role to
play.
According to
Dr Saameh, only 20% of
healthcare outcomes result
from healthcare delivery
systems. He said: “Clinics
and hospitals contribute
only 20% of health outcomes
surprisingly 80% are due to
socio-economic, behavioral,
and environmental factors.
“I think there is a
role for different sectors
to play in terms of
improving health outcomes.
Road safety, banning smoking
and adding taxes to tobacco
products, healthy eating in
schools for children, these
are the roles of many
different government
departments, but they need
to come together for the
benefit of the healthcare
sector.”
As part of
the evening, a range of
cutting-edge technologies
was showcased by leading
innovators within the
healthcare and laboratory
sector. They included
insights from Ionut Taranu,
Head of Marketing and
Healthcare Consulting, Roche
Middle East, who underscored
the importance of developing
strong partnerships. He was
joined by Dr Bernd Onesorge,
President EMEA, Siemens
Healthcare, who outlined the
latest innovations in
healthcare, while Damian
Halloran, VP Infectious
Disease, Emerging Markets,
Rapid Diagnostics, Abbot
Laboratories, outlined the
future of rapid diagnostics.
Arab Health and Medlab
Middle East will conclude on 27
January, at the Dubai World
Trade Centre.
Related Links:
Arab Health
Medlab Middle East
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