Multinational leaders in various segments of the healthcare value chain have set sights on Nigeria’s health market, with a focus on tackling a demand scale projected to hit over $18 billion by the end of 2023.
More than 200 companies from 32 countries leading in the manufacturing, distribution, procurement, and regulation of medical services aim to lead the discourse on technology-led trends in global healthcare and how they translate to shifting patient demand at the 2023 Medic West Africa Conference and Exhibition on Tuesday.
As a major partner, Randox Laboratories, a global market leader within the in-vitro diagnostic industry, will lead a long list of exhibitors alongside Qiagen and Erba Mannheim who are renowned healthcare powerhouses.
Randox Laboratories operates from over 145 countries, developing innovative diagnostic solutions for hospitals, clinical research and molecular laboratories, food testing, forensic toxicology, veterinary labs, and life sciences.
Read also: Niger crises will put strain on Nigeria food market – World Bank
Qiagen is a German biotechnology company that provides molecular diagnostics and life sciences tools and services to researchers, clinicians, and other professionals to study and manage diseases, develop new drugs and therapies, and improve agricultural production.
Erba Mannheim is a global in vitro diagnostic company that develops, manufactures, and markets a wide range of innovative and affordable products and solutions for clinical chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, diabetes management, immunology, and molecular diagnostics.
The German company has manufacturing facilities in India, the Czech Republic, and the United States, with products used in hospitals, clinics, and laboratories around the world to help clinicians diagnose and manage diseases, improve patient care, and advance medical research.
The conference organised by Informa Markets marks the 10th edition held since 2013 to transform healthcare systems across the West African region.
Tom Coleman, exhibition director of Medic West Africa, said the yearly convergence of multinationals is a measure to address the deficits in healthcare infrastructure and satisfy the increasing demand for quality healthcare services.
He said while governments have made significant investments to improve healthcare infrastructure and expand access to medical facilities, Medic West Africa has strived to push a conducive environment for businesses and stakeholders to connect, discourse, and explore the latest healthcare advancements in healthcare technology and solutions.
Read also: Why access to healthcare in UK beats Nigeria
“We are very excited about the launch of Medlab West Africa, alongside the 2023 Medic West Africa event. After 20 years of being a successful global event brand, Medlab will be the one-stop event where innovation, collaboration, and growth converge to shape the future of the laboratory industry in West Africa. It will foster connections within the medical laboratory community, making it the region’s largest multi-disciplinary laboratory congress and exhibition,” Coleman said.
The Medlab Congress will promote stakeholder dialogue in areas of leadership and management affecting West African healthcare providers, whilst providing a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic healthcare landscape in West Africa.
It will launch laboratory conference tracks focusing on immunology, laboratory and quality management, and clinical microbiology, all of which are CPD accredited.
The sessions will feature expert voices in the industry as facilitators including Donald Ofili, director and deputy registrar, MLSCN Accreditation Service; Akyala Ishaku, director, Global Health and Infectious Diseases Centre, Nasarawa State University; and Abdul Karim Sesay, head of the Genomics Strategic Platform at the Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
With a rapidly growing population and an ever-increasing demand for quality healthcare services, the organiser believes it is imperative for West and Central Africa to continue leveraging advancements in technologies to improve its healthcare sector, ensuring that patients in the region receive the quality healthcare they deserve.
Read also: Monsurat Adeleke: Taking Lagos District III primary healthcare to new level
Tosan Erhabor, registrar and CEO of Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, said the body is committed to strengthening health laboratory systems and professional practice for quality services.
To fulfill this, it has developed the quality tripod to drive its processes for excellent service delivery to the stakeholders.
“We see this partnership with Medic West Africa to launch Medlab as a veritable platform to promote dialogue within the stakeholders in furtherance of our mandate to bequeath a culture of accurate and reliable medical laboratory test results to the entire citizenry. We look forward to enriching the conference’s scientific program by sharing our expertise in medical laboratory science and invaluable insights with the vast network of professionals who will be in attendance,” Erhabor said.
