The future of healthcare in the Gulf will form the agenda for an upcoming meeting of policymakers and chief executive officers of healthcare organisations in Dubai.

Future of Healthcare in the Gulf - Economist Conferences will take place on March 28 at the Shangri-La hotel.

Qadhi Al Murooshid, chairman of the Dubai Health Authority will open the conference.

“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,” said 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 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. – TradeArabia News Service