RIYADH – Demand for hospital beds in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase 40 percent by 2016, representing around 70,000 hospital beds, as the Kingdom's rapidly growing population, which now accounts for more than two-thirds of the entire GCC populace, continues to generate new healthcare challenges. Underlining its commitment to address evolving healthcare issues in the country, the Saudi government has remained the largest spender on healthcare in the GCC with its healthcare market projected to be worth more than $20 billion by 2014. “Saudi Health 2013”, the largest international healthcare event in the Kingdom, which will run on May 12- 14, 2013 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre, has been launched to offer a more expansive networking platform that aims to complement the Saudi government's proactive efforts to further strengthen its healthcare sector. Organized under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Health, “Saudi Health” provides a dedicated platform for key industry players to focus on the leading trends and developments within the Saudi healthcare industry. Kamil Al Jawhari, Project Manager of Saudi Health at Riyadh Exhibitions Company, said: “Saudi Arabia continues to draw global attention being the Middle East's largest healthcare market and the most aggressive in terms of healthcare expenditure. What is particularly attractive about it from an investor point of view is that although it is a large market, it is far from mature. With the Kingdom's aging yet affluent population, there is therefore an unprecedented opportunity for investors to benefit from new developments in healthcare. On the other hand, it is very important to take advantage of this emerging trend as it will help create better access to the best healthcare products, services and technologies from all over the world. In this regard, ‘Saudi Health Exhibition and Conference' provides an exceptional combination of networking and corporate branding opportunities and is a perfect platform for healthcare companies to boost their profile among influential decision-makers in the Saudi healthcare industry.” Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, organizer of the world's second largest healthcare exhibition “Arab Health”, and Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), organizer of “Saudi Medicare Exhibition' for the last 15 years, have partnered to launch the new “Saudi Health Exhibition and Conference”. In line with Informa Life Sciences and REC's philosophy of “exhibition with education.” Saudi Health offers a comprehensive multi-tracked congress, including a diverse range of conferences covering a broad range of specific medical disciplines. Key global issues that will be debated at the conferences include imaging and diagnostic, medical laboratories, biomedical engineering, nursing, primary healthcare, rehabilitation and trauma. — SG
