"Leaders in Healthcare' Brings World's Most Prominent Medical Institutions to Middle East

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Representatives from some of the world's leading medical institutions are to participate in a unique strategic healthcare summit to be held in Dubai, which aims to share the latest in management thinking with a wide audience of ministers, CEOs, and medical professionals, it was announced today.

The event, "Leaders in Healthcare', will bring chief executives from these institutions together with professionals in the fields of medicine and hospital management from across the Middle East, with the objective of setting the agenda for the next decade of growth in the region's medical sector.

Participating institutions include Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins International, Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust, Partners Healthcare System, and University Hospital Hamburg.

"The organizations fielding speakers for ‘Leaders in Healthcare' are some of the most modern and progressive healthcare organizations in the world, and the experience of the executives on the podium – combined with contributions from ministers and senior health officials from across the region – will offer the only dedicated platform for discussion of the future of healthcare the Middle East has yet seen,' said John Hassett, IIR Middle East exhibitions director, healthcare division.

"This is the first and only strategic healthcare summit of its kind in the world, and its presence in the Middle East will make an active contribution to healthcare leadership in the region,' added Hassett.

"Leaders in Healthcare' has already been compared to "Leaders in Dubai', the international business forum scheduled to open in November, both for the quality of the speakers assembled, and for its perceived potential positive impact on one of the Middle East's fastest-growing sectors.
Topics for discussion will include how the Middle East can encourage the development of advanced facilities, aimed at combating regional epidemics like obesity and diabetes, and also to examine potential social models for access to healthcare and health education.

"Given the rising population, the acceleration in the spread of certain serious conditions like diabetes, and the growing demand for specialist clinics within the Middle East, we feel that the time is right for a conference of this magnitude,' commented Hassett.
Speakers at the event will also examine the challenges of building a global healthcare brand, and achieving quality through integration.

"There's no doubt that, like many European countries, states within the Middle East face a number of healthcare challenges that merit urgent attention. However, with the depth of invaluable experience which we will assemble at the event, and knowing the resolve of the health ministers and regional officials that we have invited to attend, we are confident that ‘Leaders in Healthcare' will provide a springboard for positive development,' he added.

This major event will be sponsored by one of the world's leading healthcare companies, Siemens Medical Systems.

"Leaders in Healthcare' will take place alongside the region's premier healthcare exhibition, Arab Health. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2005, Arab Health will feature 2,000 exhibitors from 50 countries and is the region's annual meeting place for over 25,000 trade visitors. Arab Health 2005 will occupy all 10 halls of the Dubai International Exhibition Center, and host 13 highly-topical conferences and seminars.

Arab Health runs from February 12-February 15.

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About Arab Health
Arab Health 2005 will be held at the DIEC from February 12-15. Arab Health is organised by IIR Middle East with official support from the UAE Ministry of Health and the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services.

The Arab Health 2005 exhibition is expected to be 25 percent larger than the 2004 event, with over 2,000 companies from over 50 countries having already registered for the event.

Major country groups have sold out of their space allocation and, for the first time, Arab Health will occupy all 10 halls including the Sheikh Rashid Hall of the Dubai International Exhibition Centre. The Middle East's healthcare expenditure for 2004 is currently valued at around US $74 billion.

The Arab Health Exhibition and Conference event attracts thousands of the region's decision makers, including healthcare executives from public and private sectors, facility planners and managers, architects, designers, directors of non-clinical services and contractors, affording them a rare opportunity to join over 350 hospital design and interiors companies under one roof.