The Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement (UPA) initiated preparations to host the 2nd edition of Africa Health ExCon, under the theme, Your Gate to Innovation and Trade. The event takes place from June 7 to 10 under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Africa Health ExCon gains prominence on both African and global levels and represents a great opportunity to exchange experiences in the field of health care. International companies are keen to participate in the event to explore opportunities for investment and trade in the health sector in Africa.
UPA Head, Major General Bahaa El-Din Zidan stated that Africa Health ExCon has come under direct directives from His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to boost Egyptian- African cooperation at all levels, mainly in healthcare. Further, Egypt robustly retrieved its leading participatory role in setting Africa’s unified vision to address existing and potential challenges facing the continent, mainly in the healthcare system.
He added that Africa Health ExCon is the first-of-its-kind comprehensive platform bringing all the parties of the African healthcare sectors together to establish a unified forward-looking vision to ensure access to medical and pharmaceutical services. In addition, it aims to develop the scientific research system in Africa and explore the latest innovations in various healthcare sectors, including medical supplies, equipment, pharmaceuticals, lab consumables, chemicals, dental equipment and supplies, skin care products, nutrition, and vitamins.
The event also brings together healthcare providers, pharmacies, feeding industries, and packing.
He also highlighted that the Covid-19 pandemic placed a huge burden and exposed the significant deficiencies in Africa’s healthcare systems, which led to deteriorating economic and living conditions. This prompted UPA to establish this platform as a sustainable communication channel for Africa to explore the updates in the global health sector.
Accordingly, set a unified vision and coordinate insightful and effective dialogue to share experiences in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, stimulate innovation and scientific research in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, and boost the intra-African trade in pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and services.
Major General Zaidan expects Africa Health ExCon 2023 to welcome over 60,000 visitors and healthcare representatives from more than 100 countries. This year’s event is hosting more than 3,000 delegates, including ministers, CEOs, main key figures from government entities, policymakers, and industry leaders from Africa and the Middle East.
Africa Health ExCon will tackle the challenges facing African countries in the health sector, which is still recovering from the consequences of the pandemic and tropical and infectious diseases, in addition to finding ways to consolidate cooperation between the countries of the continent to provide health care services, medicines, and vaccines to the African people.
Notably, the 1st edition of Africa Health ExCon in 2022 achieved unprecedented success. It hosted more than 24 scientific conferences and more than 350 sessions featuring 740 international speakers, 20 workshops, and 43,000 visitors, along with the participation of 75 countries, 368 exhibiting companies, 2000 delegates, and decision-makers working for healthcare systems and medical institutions in Africa and the Middle East.
Moreover, the event witnessed an African ministerial presence, along with delegations from WHO and delegates of African unions, Arab Hospitals Federation, Drug Regulatory Authorities, and international pharmaceutical and medical supplies manufacturers.
