The 4th Mena MedTech Forum, the region’s largest forum for medical technology, concluded today (April 26) in Dubai, UAE with a call for action at government and private sectors to boost digital transformation of health services.

The event at Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center in Dubai Healthcare City saw two days of continuous deliberations and workshops to discuss the future of digital healthcare, and its opportunities and challenges for the region.

Organized by Mecomed, the medical devices, imaging and diagnostics trade association for the Middle East and Africa, the forum also had experts address key topics including cybersecurity for medical devices, value-based healthcare, unleashing talent potential and innovative digital health technology.

Dr Salem Abdul Rahman Al Darmaki, advisor to the UAE Minister of Health and Prevention, said: “Healthcare needs innovation, not architectural creations. Right now, digitization and innovation is a crucial driver of growth within this sector. I’m glad that organisations such as Mecomed and other industry representatives are actively supporting this agenda. Digital health methods and applications are at the forefront of addressing myriad healthcare challenges across many countries, including the increasing battle against chronic diseases and the pressure to reduce healthcare spend.”

The 4th edition of the annual forum was themed ‘global trend of healthcare digitization and its impact on the Mena region’. While many firms regionally are working towards inducing the power of digital health within the sector, the promise of digital healthcare also raises legal and practical issues which require regulations from the industry and regulators within the Mena region.

“Technology and innovation have been a pivotal force in the growth of the medical industry, and in making significant contributions to the welfare of society,” said Dr Rami Rajab, chairman of Mecomed.  

“This region is poised for fast-tracked growth through innovation across all sectors. We believe that it is important to encourage discourse on crucial aspects that help regulate and pave the way for the future of the MedTech industry. This year, the Mena MedTech Forum discussed some effective solutions into how we can work together to create effective regulations and deliver great value to the patients of this region.”

Paul Epping, principal consultant at Philips Healthcare, said: “A medical device is not a stand-alone entity, but is linked to our hyper connected society. Which means that the data produced by, and exchanged with other sources, are exposed to various risk factors? The entire process needs to be secure and regulated to ensure utmost safety and security in the cyber world.”

This year, Mecomed also focused on value-based healthcare to ensure optimal use of resources wherein the focus in decision-making includes a broader value perspective instead of a mere focus on price. In this session, a panel representing different stakeholders provided their insights on the benefits and challenges in implementing such a framework.

Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, executive director, Dubai Science Park, and chairing member of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Taskforce of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, said: “We are honoured to have partnered with Mecomed for this year’s Mena MedTech Forum – a leading health and medical technology event that attracts hundreds of industry professionals from the government, academia and business with every edition.”

“It was extremely insightful to discuss the impact of digitization of healthcare as part of the panel, and to explore innovative ways for the region, particularly Dubai’s healthcare sector to gain a competitive advantage through the use of technology, while leveraging the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 to help achieve this goal. We thank the organisers for a successful event and look forward to another fruitful collaboration next year,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service