Arab Health 2010 – Lord Darzi promotes UK Healthcare innovation across Middle East

UK business Ambassador Lord Ara Darzi, a leading figure responsible for healthcare innovation and reform across the UK, is attending Arab Health 2010 to promote excellence in British healthcare manufacture, services, technology and innovation.

Lord Darzi, an eminent British surgeon and former UK Government Health Minister, will be at the exhibition for one day to take part in the opening ceremony, give a keynote address to senior surgeons and clinicians and unveil the first portable home haemodialysis machine designed by a UK company.

The Middle East is an important market for the UK and Arab Heath is the perfect platform for UK companies to showcase their world leading healthcare technologies and highlight how they are transforming the lives of patients and clinicians across the globe.  The exhibition is the largest and most prestigious trading platform in the Middle East and is attended by over 55,000 visitors every year.

Speaking about UK innovation Lord Darzi said: “The UK medical technology sector consists of 2771 companies generating £10.6bn of turnover and has a large portion of the world’s most innovative medical technology SME’s, multinationals and leading R&D centres. It is at the forefront of healthcare innovation and it gives me great pleasure to be able to promote such innovative technologies and solutions at Arab Health 2010.”

“We already have excellent trading relationship with countries across the Middle East, with sustained investment in health delivery reforms leading to the demand for the latest technologies and medicines, and are looking forward to developing new trading collaborations in the future.”

An example of the innovative products on display at Arab Health 2010 is the first portable home haemodialysis machine, which will be exclusively unveiled by Lord Darzi on the first day of the exhibition.   Marketed by Kimal plc the NxStage System One home haemodialysis machine reduces the need for patients to travel to and from hospital-based renal centres to receive ‘End Stage Renal Disease’ treatment.  In the Middle East, there are presently over 100,000 patients requiring haemodialysis treatment, including over 1900 in the UAE alone. The NxStage System One will reduce disruption to patients’ normal life, free up hospital beds and medical staff time and also give patient’s the option to dialyse at a convenient time in their own home.

The world’s first surgical ‘cling film’, developed by surgical specialist Tissuemed, will also be on display; a product which is revolutionising surgical procedures worldwide and delivering an unmet surgical need. The pioneering product called TissuePatch prevents the leakage of air, blood or other fluids that traditional stitches may not always contain and is effective within 30 seconds of contact.

Also on display will be the world’s first fully portable video laryngoscope, designed by Aircraft Medical Limited, a specialist in the global anaesthesia and critical care device markets.  The device, a patented McGRATH® Series 5, uses a video camera mounted on a rigid CameraStick™ which together with the attached display screen provides access and view of the larynx for intubation, diagnosis, and passage of endotracheal tubes via a nasal or oral route.  Being compact, 210g weight and having a cable free design means it can be easily and quickly deployed in any clinical scenario as has been documented in many publications.

Finally UK based Inditherm Medical, will also be introducing their innovative patient warming system to the Middle East.  This award winning unique device is clinically proven and helps to reduce the risk of hypothermia, wound infections, and blood loss, as well as encouraging faster recovery times. Using patented flexible carbon polymer technology, Inditherm systems provide unique high thermal transfer characteristics to produce a completely uniform warming effect.  Being fully re-useable there is an enormous cost saving over traditional products and combined with the low power consumption, a significant environmental advantage is delivered.

Supporting all UK companies at Arab Health will be UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) – a Government organisation that provides companies with dedicated assistance to grow their business overseas and in the UK.  UKTI have a network of life science specialists across the globe and last year they helped more than 21, 000 companies achieve international success.

Head of Life Sciences at UKTI, Jane Grady, says: “UK Trade & Investment are here at Arab Health to showcase the UK Life Sciences sector as a world leader in innovation with its supportive regulatory environment, outstanding R&D and academic excellence.  Our presence here is increased this year due to additional Government funding and support, which means we are able to do even more to promote UK companies and show off UK innovations and expertise.”

If you are interested in developing collaborative partnerships or trade links with UK companies or would like to would like to see the full range of pioneering products being showcased at the event visit the UK Pavilion in halls 6 and 7.

Alternatively you can pre book a one-to-one meeting at Arab Health with any of the UK companies attending simply visit www.arabhealth2010.ukti.gov.uk