Executives from MEA MedTech trade association lead discussion at Arab Health 2020 on the future of regional healthcare outcomes, urging adoption of new approaches to ensure a bright new era for patients

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 30 January, 2020:   Regional MedTech trade association Mecomed led a vital discussion on the future of the MEA healthcare sector at this year’s Arab Health event, urging industry professionals and other healthcare stakeholders to focus on patient-centered care.

In a session called “Shaping the MedTech Industry, while keeping the patient first”, Mecomed called for patient welfare to be at the center of all healthcare strategies, and unveiled a three-pronged strategy for doing so. By bringing patient-centered care into regulations, establishing high compliance standards, and instilling value-based thinking, Mecomed showed how treatment outcomes, information flow and quality of care could be elevated across the region.

The talk was led by Mecomed Chairman, Rami Rajab, and the association’s Executive Director, Inna Nadelwais. They unveiled insights from Mecomed’s White Paper on “Value-based Healthcare in the Middle East and Africa”, with Nadelwais shedding light on how the industry can engage into the innovative value-based delivery models. She also called for regional organizations to restructure their processes to reward value and stressed the critical roles leadership and medical technology are playing in accelerating this transformation. 

“Rising costs and continually evolving regulations are putting regional healthcare providers under extraordinary pressure as they try to improve patient outcomes,” said Rajab. “By adopting a value-based healthcare model, the industry can start to overcome the challenges that stand in the way of better patient care, and drive an evolution in practices that will allow a stronger, more agile industry to take shape. In so doing, the region can optimize treatment outcomes and lead the world in patient-centered care.”

Arab Health 2020 took place amid a significant growth spike for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) healthcare sector. Projections by Fitch Solutions suggest that the regional healthcare market will grow from US$ 185.5 billion in 2019 to US$ 243.6 billion in 2023 – a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.05%. More than 4,250 companies from some 160 countries exhibited at this year's event, which welcomed around 55,000 healthcare and trade professionals.

Mecomed is the trade association for medical technology companies across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), serving as the voice of Medical Technology industry. The association also works closely with MEA healthcare officials to establish credible healthcare standards for the region. 

Also at the networking event, Mecomed elaborated on key projects for 2020 and shared its strategy for 2020-2025 that included among other initiatives establishing the organisation as partner of choice across MEA; continuing the development of local ethical codes across the region; growing its membership base to 100 in five years; and helping shape regional legislation affecting Medical Technology industry.