Arab Health 2025 - briefing paper

Arab Health is the largest and most prestigious healthcare exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Established in 1975, the event has grown to become a cornerstone for medical professionals, healthcare innovators, manufacturers and policymakers alike. It serves as a platform for showcasing cutting-edge medical technologies, fostering collaborations and addressing regional healthcare challenges.

Scheduled from Monday 27 January to Thursday 30 January 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Arab Health 2025 will be the event’s 50th anniversary, making this an unmissable occasion for everyone working in associated professions. The event will feature a comprehensive range of healthcare related exhibitions, networking opportunities, conferences and workshops, focusing on the latest trends, innovations and solutions in the region’s evolving healthcare landscape.

Clyde & Co, with its extensive expertise and presence in the region, is well positioned to assist healthcare investors, professionals, institutions and stakeholders in navigating the complex legal intricacies that may arise when entering or operating in the evolving legal landscape of the healthcare sector in the MENA region. This briefing paper offers an overview of the key trends and opportunities highlighting how Clyde & Co is uniquely equipped to help clients take advantage of these opportunities and navigate any associated challenges.

Key Trends and Opportunities in the Healthcare Sector 

The healthcare sector in the Middle East is experiencing transformative changes driven by technology, demographic shifts and growing population. Arab Health 2025 will spotlight the following trends and opportunities:

Innovation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

AI-powered solutions are revolutionising diagnostics, predictive analytics, and personalised treatment plans. Applications such as AI-driven surgeries, virtual health assistants and disease outbreak prediction models are being integrated into healthcare systems, enhancing efficiency and patient outcomes. These technological advances and solutions are becoming integral to the healthcare ecosystem in the Middle East. The 2025 edition will feature several new initiatives, including the World of Wellness and Healthcare ESG conferences, which will highlight the latest advancements in wellness, sustainability and healthcare technologies.

Sustainability in Healthcare

With a growing focus on environmental impact, healthcare providers are adopting sustainable practices such as energy-efficient hospital designs, waste reduction, and green supply chains. Arab Health 2025 will feature innovations that align with global sustainability goals and place a strong emphasis on eco-friendly practices within the healthcare industry.

Genomics and Precision Medicine

Advances in genomic research are enabling personalised treatments based on individual genetic profiles. Supported by both private, public and global initiatives, this trend is gaining momentum in the MENA region.

Public-Private Partnerships

Governments across the Middle East are championing collaboration between the public and private sectors to transform healthcare infrastructure and services. These initiatives include the development of cutting-edge hospitals, advanced clinics, and medical research facilities, addressing the growing demand for high-quality healthcare solutions in the region.

Expanded Educational Opportunities

Arab Health 2025 will feature nine continuing medical education (CME) accredited conferences, offering medical professionals a chance to expand their knowledge across a variety of specialisations. In addition, four new thought leadership conferences will take place, covering topics such as women in healthcare, digital health, AI, and investment in the healthcare sector.

Few other events can boast a track record and longevity on a par with Arab Health, and this 50th anniversary edition is likely to prove extremely popular.

Clyde & Co

Clyde & Co has one of the most active healthcare practices in the MENA region, with significant capabilities covering a wide range of legal services within the sector. As one of the region's few genuine full-service law firms, our combination of skills, expertise, experience and network of connections allows us to act as a 'one-stop-shop' for healthcare clients for all of their legal needs in the Middle East. Having been based in the United Arab Emirates for over 35 years, we are well versed in the nuances of local laws and regulations as well as the actual application (or non-application) of those laws and regulations by the authorities.

Our healthcare clients include private equity firms specialising in healthcare investments, hospital owners and operators, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, life sciences organisations, healthcare suppliers and distributors, health ministries, regulators and professional registration boards, just to mention a few.

Our team specialises in providing healthcare investors and other stakeholders operating in the market with full service legal support for the lifespan of an investment. Our team is well placed to provide structuring and foreign direct investment (FDI) advice and we are experts in advising on healthcare mergers and acquisitions (M&A), joint-ventures (JVs), restructurings, investments and a range of other transactional matters. Our offering, as a full-service law firm, means that following completion of your transaction, we are ready and equipped to provide you with legal support on a range of integration and transitional matters to help protect the business in which you have invested or which you have created.