Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Governor of Jeddah Prince Mishal Bin Majed inaugurated on Sunday the Saudi International Healthcare Forum, a business-to-business meeting, which this year aims to focus on research, technology and training. The three-day forum is being attended by doctors, researchers, entrepreneurs and key decision-makers in healthcare from both the private and public sectors to discuss the challenges and promote joint collaborations with global companies and address the need for innovative technology. When asked about the healthcare services the Kingdom needed to focus on, Professor Mahmoud Shaheen, dean of College of Medicine at King Abdulaziz University, said the primary healthcare system as well as screenings for common cancers in Saudi Arabia, such as breast cancer and colon cancer. "And trying to utilize the resources in the best way to improve healthcare services with the least cost. This is what we're trying to achieve in this forum," he added. Dozens of multinational companies, international scientific bodies and NGOs, including those from the Gulf region and the United States, participated at the forum. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, US Commercial Attaché Fred Aziz said, "The healthcare sector is very important for Saudi Arabia and it's also one where we have a lot of expertise in US firms. We're effectively trying to deepen the relationship, especially at this time of transition toward the private sector. We feel our companies have a lot to offer to the health sector in the Kingdom." On medical research, Dr. Anas Khan, assistant professor in emergency and disaster medicine at King Saud University, said the forum aims "to enrich the research field in healthcare in the country". He added that it could be a significant source of revenue for the state. "We're collaborating with Harvard alumni and other guest speakers to examine the ecosystem of health research in the country," said Dr. Khan, who is also a member of the scientific committee at the forum. Assistant professor of health informatics at King Saud University Dr. Taghreed Justinia, who spoke at a session on turning medical research from theory to practice, said medical practitioners should focus on qualitative research. "It's rarely used in medical and health sciences. Qualitative research is scientific and it can be rigorous when done well," she said. Mazen Batterjee, deputy chairman of the board of directors of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Kingdom dedicated SR104 billion to the development of healthcare and social services. He said the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) has identified more than 40 investment opportunities worth SR41 billion available in the health sector in the next 5 years.
