Overview

Since its launch, The International Healthcare Ehibition - Healthcare, asserted its position as an annual occasion that many local, Arab, and international companies working in different medical fields make sure to participate in. This exhibition was, until its last edition a distinct medical event that attracted many international companies and brands that were keen to be present in Syria to establish business relations with Syrian companies that function in this sector, and to find agents in the Syrian market and through it in neighboring markets.

 

In its last edition, Healthcare witnessed the participation of 76 prominent local and international specialized companies that represented 290 international brands from 31 countries. Among the international exhibiting companies were 8 national pavilions from Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, Germany, Switzerland, China, Taiwan, and Brazil. The exhibition was held concurrently with ‘Damascus Doctors' Conference’ that was organized by Damascus Medical Association in cooperation with Arabian Group for Exhibitions and Conferences.

 

After 8 years of absence because of the Syrian crisis, the 16^th edition of The International Healthcare Exhibition - Healthcare will be held at Damascus Fairground, Syria from 12 to 15 October, 2022, concurring with The International Dental and Laboratory Exhibition – Dentalcare providing medical personnel of all specializations with a comprehensive platform that will enable them to acquaint themselves with the latest developments in healthcare technologies, medical equipment and supplies, and advanced medical software and hardware that will be showcased by exhibiting companies.

The impact of the Syrian crisis on the health sector

Before the Syrian crisis started in 2011, the Syrian healthcare sector achieved significant landmarks and overhauls which can be reflected by a drastic increase in life expectancy from 56 years in 1970 to 73 years in 2011, and the Syrian pharmaceutical industry built steadfast reputation for its competitive quality, a reputation that’s reflected in the fact that Syrian medicine was being exported to 56 countries before the Syrian crisis started. During the years of the crisis, the healthcare sector was targeted at all levels, hospitals were destroyed, especially public ones, and healthcare staff and nursing personnel were systematically targeted.

• 45% of health centers in Syria are out of service with all their advanced equipment being stolen or destroyed
• 34% of medical health facilities that are partially functional because of lack of personnel and equipment, which reflects the pressing need for child incubators, scanners and medical imaging devices, anesthesia equipment, and other hospital equipment.
• Syria's loss of healthcare experts is estimated at 37%, an unprecedented rate which reflects the need for huge investments in medical human resources and facilities. 
• The health sector's losses are estimated at $12 billion to restore it to its previous state, which means that the investment needed to meet the rising needs of the Syrian healthcare market amounts to more than $25 billion, including rebuilding and equipping hospitals and health centers in addition to developing the specialized human resources to reach pre-war conditions.