Saudi Arabia's national showcase and the Gulf region's international forum

The 14th edition of SHASH, scheduled to be held in Jeddah in May 2007, is already shaping up to be a success with a record number of bookings and enquiries from both international and domestic exhibitors. Encompassing not only the medical equipment sector, the exhibition also includes the increasingly important general hospitals sector, covering aspects such as infrastructure, maintenance and services.

Running parallel to the exhibition will be a high profile symposium, featuring expert speakers from the healthcare and hospital sectors, addressing current issues and advances affecting Saudi Arabia.

The last edition of SHASH attracted over 6,000 professional visitors from across Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries, with exhibitors reporting that deals worth many millions of US dollars had been concluded during the exhibition. The German company 'Aircast' commented that 'this exhibition has provided us with a unique opportunity to
study the local market that has very high potential'.

Visitors were presented with a diverse range of products and services by a broad exhibitor profile of international and leading Saudi companies that encompassed every aspect of the health industry; as Khaled Azam, a Saudi importer of medical equipment, commented 'only such exhibitions provide a view of a vast variety of products and services related to the health sector under one roof'.

The health sector is particularly benefiting from record oil revenues, with the Saudi Government allocating SR31 billion (US$8.27 billion) for health and social services in the 2006 budget (a massive increase of around 30% on 2005). Saudi Arabia is the largest market for medical equipment and healthcare products in the Gulf, with the Ministry of Health the largest buyer representing around 60% of the market.

The Ministry is engaged in an ambitious building programme of new hospitals and health centres, together with the continued refurbishment of existing buildings, in an attempt to keep pace with the demand of an increasing population that is forecast to rise from the current 27 million to 47 million by 2020. The burgeoning population's demand on the public health sector has led to increasing involvement by the private sector; approximately 21% of hospital bed capacity is currently in the private sector. It is estimated that around 25,000 additional beds will be required by 2010, at a total cost of SR22.3 billion (US$5.95 billion). In addition to encouraging private sector investment into the hospital and general health sector, the Saudi government is also considering plans for privatisation in an attempt to reduce expenditure and improve performance and efficiency.

The changing face of the Saudi healthcare sector, where private concerns now determine purchasing alongside central purchasing by the Ministry, is certainly reflected in the visitor profile of SHASH with an increasing number of agents and importers visiting the exhibition.