DUBAI, 29 January 2008 — The four-day Arab Health, a world-class medical and health care event, was opened at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center yesterday. The event that showcases the latest medical breakthroughs and technical developments from over 65 countries was inaugurated by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, prime minister and vice president of the UAE and ruler of Dubai.
Arab Health, expected to break new records attracting 50,000 visitors from all over the world, was described by Humaid Al-Qutami, the UAE minister of health, as “the greatest scientific gathering in the Middle East and the Arab world.” He said it was the second largest health care exhibition worldwide.
Progress on the establishment of a federal health insurance regulatory body was outlined by Dr. Ajit K. Nagpal, former adviser to the UAE Ministry of Health and a member of an inter-ministerial committee on health insurance.
Compulsory health insurance for expatriates and their dependants began in Abu Dhabi this month and Dubai plans to introduce it this year. Other emirates are expected to follow suit.
The multitrack Arab Health Congress — encompassing 18 internationally accredited conferences in specialized areas of medicine, surgery and health care management with over 400 internationally respected speakers and more than 6,000 delegates — is the world’s largest event of its kind.
The program included an indepth analysis of global and regional investment opportunities featuring high levels speakers from the World Bank, the US, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Iraq and the UAE.
After the inauguration, Sheikh Mohammed toured the pavilion of Arab Healthcare Group. He was briefed about Emaar Healthcare Group (EHG) by Omar Moawiyah Al Shunnar, executive director, EHG.
Lawson Software and Dubai-based E3 announced a partnership agreement. Under terms of the agreement, E3 will resell Lawson S3 enterprise software applications exclusively to hospitals in the Middle East and North Africa.
The agreement reflects Lawson’s commitment to increasing its presence in the region via channel partners. “We are delighted to be Lawson’s business partner. By combining Lawson’s world-class solutions with our knowledge of the healthcare industry’s IT infrastructure in the region, we hope to advance the profitability of healthcare players,” said Muwaffa Lahham, CEO, E3.
Lawson Software also announced that American Hospital Dubai licensed the Lawson S3 Human Capital Management, Enterprise Financial Management, Supply Chain Management and Business Intelligence Suites.
