Dubai: The Arab Health congress opened on Monday against a backdrop of an increase in lifestyle-related diseases in the region, and an expected rapid rise in health care costs.
The four-day exhibition is billed as the world's largest of its kind, and was to gather more than 65,000 visiting health care professionals.
Experts have said that the number of hospital beds in the region would need to more than double to 162,000 to meet demand. This was expected to drive GCC health care budgets to up to $60 billion (Dh220.34 billion), they said.
Doctors said diabetes had turned into a pandemic in the region, with millions affected by the debilitating disease.
The cost of outpatient treatment alone in the UAE for a diabetic came to Dh2,000, doctors said.
One of the conferences at this congress was to tackle the need to reduce the burgeoning health care costs which affect other areas of development in the region.
Former president Bill Clinton when he visited Dubai earlier, warned if nothing was done to halt the diabetes pandemic, then significant developments in the region would come to a grinding halt.
A senior consultant at Shaikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, said there were also "significant gaps in quality control management" in the region.
A co-operation pact between the UAE and Germany was signed yesterday to facilitate the coordination of patients' treatment, exchange of experts, health information and training activities in various health fields.
The agreement was signed by Dr Hanif Hassan Ali, Minister of Health, and Philip Rosslier, German Minister of Health at the World Trade Centre.
UAE, Germany team up
A pact of cooperation between the UAE and Germany was signed yesterday to guide the coordination for patients' treatment, and exchange experts, health information and details about training activities in various health fields.
The health agreement was signed by Dr Hanif Hassan, Minister of Health, and Philip Rosslier, German Minister of Health, at the World Trade Centre.
