Managing the rise of infectious diseases and how they are contributing towards driving the Middle East & Africa clinical laboratory services market, will be just one of the hot topics on the agenda, as participants gather for the next edition of Medlab Middle East which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 24-27 January 2022.
The growth of the Middle East and Africa region’s clinical laboratory services highlights a marked increase in the cases of infectious diseases, combined with increasing demand for timely and accurate diagnosis, which is stimulating innovative methods of clinical diagnostics.
According to analysis carried out by research consultancy Data Bridge Market Research, over the next seven years, rising rates of infectious diseases and advances in clinical diagnostic methods will expand the Middle East and Africa’s clinical laboratory services market by a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.7% over the period 2021 to 2028, culminating in a market value exceeding $7.5 billion.
Rejoy Penacerrada, Conference Director for Informa Markets, said: “The study expects that another key factor contributing towards market growth, will be the accelerating adoption of digital pathology platforms and a preference for comprehensive health checkups offered by clinical laboratories.”
Supporting that analysis, another report by market research, business intelligence and consulting firm, Market Data Forecast, has estimated that the infectious disease therapeutic market in the Middle East and Africa is currently worth more than $9 billion and estimates that it will rise to $13.2 billion by 2026 a CAGR of 7.8%.
“The research attributes the rise in infections to a proliferation of certain microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites that are causing infections such as malaria, HIV, tuberculosis and influenza,” added Penacerrada.
These and other opportunities and challenges will also be discussed across nine CME accredited multi-disciplinary conferences, including lab management, histopathology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, molecular & genomic diagnostics, haematology and blood transfusion in addition to a special track dedicated to COVID-19 and an online-only conference, Future of Lab.
As part of the Clinical Microbiology conference, the topic Infectious diseases in the region will be discussed, which will be led by industry expert, Prof Ziad Memish, Senior Infectious Disease Consultant, Director, Research & Innovation Centre, King Saud Medical City, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh.
Widely recognised as a pioneer in Mass Gathering Medicine and Infection Control, Prof. Ziad established the WHO collaborating centre for mass gathering medicine in the Ministry of Health and WHO Collaborating Center for IC in Saudi National Guard Health Affairs.
He said: “The twenty-first century has witnessed a wave of severe infectious disease outbreaks, not least the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods around the globe. Early detection is the key to the prevention and control of any communicable diseases.”
“Clinical microbiology laboratories have had a pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic and will remain front and centre as new variants are identified. We are delighted to be hosting renowned specialists in this field such as Dr Ziad, who will be able to provide expert analysis on topics such as the immunology of SARS-CoV-2 and how laboratory tests are improving to support the clinicians and their diagnosis,” concluded Penacerrada.
As part of Informa's commitment to providing the highest hygiene and safety levels, the event will again take place under the protocols introduced via the company’s Informa AllSecure health and safety mandate. The enhanced measures include 35 guidelines covering all aspects of cleaning and hygiene, social distancing measures, and the use of PPE, screening, and a track and trace in conjunction with local authorities.