As construction prices in the Middle East fall, the region's healthcare sector is not only surviving the global economic crisis, but is thriving, according to the organizers of Hospital Build. There are currently more than 100 hospitals in the planning stage across the Middle East and Africa, and while so many industries are feeling the bite of the credit crunch, healthcare projects remain relatively unaffected because of government support and a long-term commitment to healthcare infrastructure growth. “Approximately $14 billion is being spent in the Arabian Gulf countries alone on new hospitals and healthcare facilities,” said Simon Page, Group Director for Life Sciences at IIR Middle East, the organizers of Hospital Build, taking place on June 14-16, 2009 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre. “Toward the end of 2008, it was reported that some medical projects were postponed as a result of an increase in the cost of building materials.” “Now, however, the cost of steel and cement have tumbled - approximately 70 percent and 22 percent respectively - and many projects, such as the $1.9billion first phase of the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi and the $572million Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Academic Medical Centre in Dubai Healthcare City are progressing well,” Page added. Burt Hill, one of the world's largest architecture, engineering, interior design and landscape architecture companies, will be taking part in Hospital Build to showcase their work on Al Mafraq Hospital, one of Abu Dhabi's oldest hospitals, which is being replaced with state-of- the
