Healthcare decision makers from around the Gulf region to discuss healthcare reform

Healthcare delivery has significantly improved across the gulf region during the past decade with greater access to care, a broadening of medical services offered and an increased focus on quality. But, a significant increase in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and its risk factors – hypertension, diabetes, physical inactivity and obesity – combined with greater patient expectations and aging populations means that the region faces significant challenges in ensuring that healthcare systems can remain sustainable and continue to improve.

“Given the increase in demand for healthcare, the growing incidence of lifestyle diseases, and the rising costs to the economy associated with this, Healthcare in the Gulf provides a platform for the leadership and policymakers from Governments in the GCC to engage in a meaningful discussion with health analysts, healthcare providers, suppliers of healthcare equipment and pharmaceuticals, and investors in healthcare in the Gulf on the best practices, challenges and innovative ideas for sustainable reform of the health sector,” said Laila Al Jassmi, CEO, Health Policy and Strategy at the Dubai Health Authority.

Economist Conferences’ Healthcare in the Gulf summit has been designed to facilitate high-level dialogue between key stakeholder groups: government, healthcare providers, suppliers, patient groups, donors and NGOs. They will be looking at the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare systems in the Gulf region. Topics to be discussed include: future and ongoing reforms, potential models, different approaches to healthcare privatisation and public-private partnerships, tackling obesity and associated diseases and more.

“Governments must take responsibility and lead on issues of healthcare, but that said, they cannot shoulder the burden alone. All the relevant stakeholders – including civil society, the private sector, and academia – must recognise that investing in healthcare now is necessary to ensure the future health of our populations. This is why I am really looking forward to this conference and the ideas and discussions that it will generate,” says HRH Princess Dina Mired, Director General of King Hussein Cancer Foundation.

Delia Meth-Cohn, Editorial Director CEMEA, The Economist Group and conference chairperson added
"Driven by the explosion of chronic disease, the demand for higher quality and spiraling costs, the Gulf states are introducing quite radical market-based healthcare reforms, but if these measures are to improve healthcare delivery while keeping costs down, there needs to be a lot more dialogue between the policymakers, regulators and public health providers on the one side and the private healthcare players on the other. Healthcare in the Gulf is designed as a forum for that dialogue."

The summit will bring together around 180 senior executives from the region and 24 speakers – including speakers from the Dubai Health Authority, Health Authority of Abu Dhabi, Mubadala Healthcare, The Cleveland Clinic, John’s Hopkins International, Qatar Foundation, King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Daman – to debate the issues that will affect healthcare delivery in this region.

Healthcare in the Gulf is organised by Economist Conferences, part of The Economist Group. Premium sponsor is Novartis with Amgen, Philips, AstraZeneca, GE Healthcare, PwC as supporting sponsors and Merck Serono, BD exhibitors. Figment Communications is the official PR agency of the summit.