Business Development Mission to Saudi Arabia's Global Health Exhibition

October 29-31, 2023

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

We invite you to join our U.S. delegation to the Global Health Exhibition (GHE), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct 29-31. GHE 2023 aims to bring together the Saudi & global healthcare communities to connect, network and do business. 14,000 professionals and generated over $42 billion of business in 2022. GHE conference agenda includes 8 medical tracks focused on topics such as Clinical Labs, Radiology, Nursing, Preventive Health, Healthcare Finance, and Quality of Life.

The Council has been actively promoting opportunities in the healthcare sector for many years. We led U.S. business development missions to GHE prior to COVID-19 pandemic and facilitated business introductions. Opportunities in the healthcare sector were discussed at the U.S.-Saudi Business Opportunities Forums (organized in the U.S. and Riyadh in partnership with Saudi entities including the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2016). We hosted the New Horizons and Opportunities in the Saudi Healthcare Sector conference in Boston in 2017 in collaboration with the MOH and GE.

About the Mission

The agenda of the visit is anchored in participation at the Global Health Exhibition (GHE), held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health (MOH). GHE 2023 aims to bring together the Saudi & global healthcare communities to connect, network and do business. 14,000 professionals and generated over $42 billion of business in 2022. GHE conference agenda includes 8 medical tracks focused on topics such as ClinicalLabs, Radiology, Nursing, Preventive Health, Healthcare Finance, and Quality of Life. To learn more about the GHE, please click HERE.

Saudi Arabia, the fastest growing G20 economy in 2022, accounts for 60% of the Gulf's healthcare expenditure. Saudi Vision 2030, the nation's ambitious national development plan, recognizes healthcare as one of the country's most important sectors and is committed to developing it. See below for a sector overview and opportunities.

Who Should Join the Mission?

• MedTech Manufacturing
• Pharmaceuticals
• Medical Infrastructure
• Healthcare IT
• Support Services
• Hospitals and Clinics (Construction, Operation, and Management)
• Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Home
• Medical rehabilitation
• Home Healthcare services

Mission Fee Includes:

• Participation at the GHE23
• Promotion of your product/service to targeted audiences in Saudi Arabia prior to the GHE
• Private briefing in Riyadh on doing business in the healthcare sector (legal aspects, perspectives from U.S. companies doing business in the Kingdom)
• Assistance with introductions to relevant GHE 23 exhibitors
• Select group meetings with select Saudi exhibitors (based on the composition of the delegation)
• Business visa facilitation service.

Mission Fees:

• $1,500 per company (Council Members); $500 per additional team member
• $2,500 per company (Council Non-Members); $500 per additional team member

Market Overview:

• Annual Government Budget: $36.8 billion on Healthcare and Social Development in 2022
• Sector Growth Rate: 5.8% from 2017 to 2029
• Saudi Pharmaceutical Market: $12 billion in 2022; expected to reach $15 Billion in 2027
• Saudi MedTech Market: represents 50% of the MENA market; expected to outpace global growth (estimated at 18%) within the next 6-7 months.

The Saudi population is expected to grow from over 34 million currently to 39.5 million by 2030. By the same year, the population of vulnerable people aged 65 and up is expected to grow by 7%, to reach nearly 5 million people. Medical conditions such as cancer and diabetes remain prevalent, and the Kingdom continues to invest significant resources in treatment, care, and research development. Medical tourism is rising and the local patient population is remaining in the country to leverage the high quality of privatized services.

Saudi Arabia has more than 500 hospitals, 78,000 hospital beds, and 5,000 health clinics. The region needs close to 700 hospitals by 2030 (99,000 beds spread across government, private and semi-government), long term care centers, and suppliers of services in specialty areas such as oncology and cosmetology. Moreover, the country aims to set up 20 healthcare delivery clusters with the capacity to serve 1-2 million people each.

The Health Sector Transformation Program, launched in 2021, aims to improve access to health services, the quality and efficiency of healthcare services, promote health risk prevention. The MOH has transitioned from a service provider to a regulatory body, focusing on its planning, regulatory, and supervisory roles in health care.

The private sector serves as an important strategic partner for the Saudi Government through the contribution of capital, development of new and innovative solutions, and help in resolving challenges to improve access to quality care.

Saudi Priorities and Opportunities

Top Saudi priorities in the medical industry are increasing the privatization of healthcare services, encouraging PPPs, scaling up medical education and training of its local workforce, as well as boosting the adoption of digital information systems.

Opportunities are related to infrastructure, facilities management, operations, medical equipment, primary care centers, virtual/digital care, extended care, laboratories, radiology, cardiology, diabetes care, medical waste, etc.

As healthcare resources and workforce are limited in supply, there is an opportunity for companies with expertise in sophisticated training solutions for clinicians for workflow optimization as well as adopt the latest technologies that can automate or shorten the workflow, such as leveraging AI for clinical decision-making.

In terms of MedTech products, there is a growing demand for capital equipment, diagnostic devices, implantable devices (ophthalmic, dentistry, and cardiac surgery), consumables, remote, real-time patient monitoring devices, self-health management tools, and connected devices, as well as add-on services such as consultation on workflow management, coordination of production, inventory, location, and transportation.

As specific clusters focus on oncology, cardiology and chronic care, it offers MedTech companies the opportunity to introduce disease-ownership models centered on end-to-end disease management as well as hardware, software, and professional services, offering value-based care models.

Expenses for air travel, lodging, incidentals, and meals are the responsibility of each participant. The Council will provide recommendation of accommodation hotel at negotiated rate.

Mission Application Deadline: October 6, 2023

For questions, please contact Ana Carmen Neboisa, Vice President, at anacarmen@ussaudi.org