Dubai, 23 April 2019 - MENA’s healthcare sector continues to grow significantly spurred on by population growth, a higher life expectancy as well as the high prevalence of lifestyle diseases. According to the World Bank, health care spending across MENA is expected to grow to US$144 billion in 2020 with roughly half of it coming from the GCC countries alone. This has provided opportunities in all healthcare segments, while driving the acceleration of the continued development of an efficient healthcare insurance model across the region. 

It is on this backdrop that the region’s leading healthcare stakeholders convened in Dubai for the Healthcare Insurance Forum. The event was inaugurated by H.E Dr Amin Al Amiri who shared the insights on how the Ministry of Health and Prevention (UAE) is working together with  stakeholders to improves efficiencies for the sector. The inauguration speech was complimented by presentations from Dr Ramadan AlBlooshi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory and Jerome Droesch, CEO – MENA, Cigna who both spoke on how their respective organisations are contributing to increased efficiencies in the sector through regulatory updates and technology adoption. 

H.E Dr Maryam Matar, Chairperson, UAE Genetic Diseases Association delivered a thought-provoking session and presented finding on ‘Cost effectiveness of prevention programs of common genetic disorders (success stories 2004-2018)’. The event also featured a panel discussion on increasing collaboration of all stakeholders which saw both payers and providers sharing ideas on how they can work together and improve data sharing as well as transparency. The second day of the event featured a well-received interactive panel discussion on Population Health Management – Value Based Insurance Design which was led by Ahmed Faiyaz, Advisor – Health Investments & PPPs, Dubai Healthcare Authority, Shainoor Khoja, Chief Impact Officer and MD Value Healthcare and Robert Denson, SVP of IT & Operations, Malaffi. The session had attendees thinking about how they can increase their contribution to the development of the national healthcare sector in both the short and the long term. 

Now in its fourteenth year, the Healthcare Insurance Forum is focused on developing innovative partnership models to improve healthcare delivery in MENA. Speakers participating in the event analysed capacity gaps, market dynamics, and new healthcare models for the evolving sector. Expert market insights were shared by payers and providers from MENA, including Dr Sherif Mahmoud, Regional Head of Healthcare, AXA Gulf, Dr Mohammed Chabuk, Chief Executive Officer, Seha Emirates Hospital, Saurabh Saran, General Manager – General Takaful & Health Takaful, Salama Islamic Arab Insurance Co. (P.S.C.), Dr. Sarper Tanli, Group CEO, Manzil Health Care Services, Mohammed Saleh Al Enazi, Medical Director, Tawuniya, Georges Chidiac, Senior Vice President & General Manager, SAICO Health, Jayakrishnan Veetil, Head – Insurance, Medcare Hospital, Dr Mahmoud Weshah, Healthcare Transformation and Privatization, Royal Commission Health Service Program in Jubail and many others. 

Regional healthcare leaders at the event included Dr Ahmed Hashem, Head – Commercial Analytics, BUPA, Mazin A. Gadir, Senior Consultant, Dubai Health Authority, Dr. Muhaned Attaulah Revenue Cycle Senior Lead at Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, David T. Youssef, CEO and Owner of AXIOS Strategic Consulting, and former MD of MEA at AETNA.

Novartis and Sanofi both partnered with Informa this year to deliver two workshops during the Healthcare Insurance Forum in line with the event theme of ‘Collaboration & Innovation for Improved Outcomes’. This ensured that all sector stakeholders had a voice at the event including additional event partners Cigna, Aetna and BSA. 

Informa’s Healthcare Insurance Forum is an annual event which covers the most pertinent issues affecting the sector providing a platform for Ministries, payers and providers and solution providers a platform, to share ideas and strategies on developing the healthcare sector into a leading regional healthcare hub.