Saleh Fareed Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia will be the fastest growing healthcare market in the GCC in the next six years and the overall growth rate for the whole region will hit 12 percent by 2018, according to a new report. The research, which was issued by Alpen Capital Group, also says that healthcare demand in the GCC countries and especially the Kingdom is rising due to shifting demographics, higher income, steady population growth and lifestyle changes that in turn have led to a corresponding increase in conditions like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Both the public and private health sectors are meeting the challenge by increasing healthcare spending. The report coincides with the upcoming world's first interactive digital health event in Dubai on May 5-7. Tamer Shahin, CEO of digital health marketing company nuviun that is organizing the event, said: “Saudi Arabia has a strong vision for a smart city and healthcare is one of its top priorities. “This, coupled with little to no legacy infrastructure and the regulatory landscape, it is evident why many experts are recognizing that this region has a huge opportunity to be the test ground for real and radical change.” He said that digital health is now at the forefront of providing solutions for current healthcare challenges across many countries, including Saudi Arabia's increasing battle against chronic diseases. It offers opportunities to address these challenges and work with key parties to reduce healthcare spend and ultimately change people's behavior. Digital health covers everything from wearables to mobile apps for individuals, to electronic medical records and DNA sequencing for the industry. The upcoming Digital Health Live 2015 event provides a platform for discussion to debate the core issues facing healthcare and to create an environment for education and connection. This is an opportunity to question traditional thinking and explore new ideas in the provision of healthcare. The Digital Health Live conference will attract the key players from decision-makers, investors, entrepreneurs, providers, patient representatives to industry experts. It will cover three areas of a new vision: framing health, supporting health and consumer health. Key speakers for the conference include Dr. Fadi Al Buhairan, assistant professor of health informatics at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences and health industries consulting director at PricewaterhouseCoopers; Daniel Whitehead, director of medical strategy at the health insurance company Daman; and John Nosta, president of digital health company Nostalab. The free Digital Health Live expo is for everyone interested in health, wellness and technology and will provide an experiential walk into the future with the world's first interactive and fully immersive expo zones.
