More than 150 international health care companies gathered at a major exhibition in Jeddah yesterday looking for new business investments in Saudi health care sector.

MEDEXPO is the first international health care expo held in Jeddah to attract more investments to the health sector and create partnership with Saudi local companies.

More than 30 speakers from Saudi medical sector are taking part in the two-day medical forum at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Jeddah.

"We invited many insurance companies, companies that provide supplies to the health care sector, dentistry instruments companies, and many other services. We are fully supported by JCCI and Saudi Ministry of Health in order to meet Saudi health market needs," said John Suzara, project manager of MEDEXPO in the Kingdom.

"We will work based on a five-year plan to boost the Kingdom's health care sector," he said.

"Saudi Arabia is an important investment destination this is why we are here today," he added.

He said the government invested a large portion of its annual GDP in health care, such as building hospitals, technology and information, health care clinics and medical technology in to Saudi Arabia.

This expo will facilitate cooperation between local companies and the international community, said Suzara.

"Partnership is our aim were foreign investors are looking for distribution in Saudi market," said the manager.

The exhibition will offer excellent networking opportunities for medical professionals and will provide a dedicated platform for decision makers to source the latest advances in healthcare technology, products and service solutions from an array of exhibitors from Brazil, UK, France, Germany, China, Netherlands Pakistan among others.

The speakers at the forum will debate innovative solutions based on best practices to create the blueprint for sustainable health care with the Kingdom.

Elie Rizk, CEO of MICE Arabia Exhibitions and Conferences, believes that MEDEXPO is taking place at an extremely important time as Saudi Arabia is witnessing an economic boom backed by decisions made by the government to expand the infrastructure and improve the healthcare service in the Kingdom; thereby giving opportunities and allocating budget for more hospitals to be built which in itself is considered an essential incentive for international companies to exhibit at the show.

MEDEXPO has also received phenomenal support from The Saudi Dental Society, Saudi Pharmaceutical Society, Saudi Heart Association, Saudi Ophthalmological Society, Albir Society and the Saudi Scientific Society for Biomedical Engineering as Information partners.

MEDEXPO is being organized by MICE Arabia in cooperation with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health, Saudi Food & Drug Authority, Council of Cooperative Health Insurance National Guard Health Affairs and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry.