Tagged with MENA,

Morocco Aligned with the country’s 2021 development plan and the national project to extend health insurance to all of its citizens, Morocco has embarked on a sweeping healthcare reform. After a draft framework for an overhaul of the Moroccan healthcare system was brought forward last year, the plan has been backed…

UAE Mohamed Ezz Eldin oversees Novartis operations in the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. He outlines how the company’s strategy has evolved in the Gulf region following the spin-off of generics arm Sandoz and its now 100 percent focus on innovative medicines. Ezz Eldin also describes some of the key…

UAE French-headquartered Pierre Fabre has merged its dermo cosmetics and medical care arms under a single management team over the past four years; a strategy that has helped the firm to triple its profits in the Middle East. Naim Hanna outlines the company’s operational model and strategy in the region, how…

UAE While patient advocacy is still less prevalent in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) than in other parts of the world and there are no UAE patient organisations among the World Patients Alliance’s almost 400 members, the voice of patients in the UAE is becoming louder and beginning to get heard…

UAE ‘Sukoon’ means ‘tranquillity’ and ‘peace of mind’ in Hindi, Arabic and Urdu which perfectly reflects the recently rebranded Sukoon Insurance’s core purpose, according to CEO Jean-Louis Laurent Josi. He explains how the company has evolved with medical insurance at the heart of its offering, why Sharia-compliant services are so important…

Turkey A roundup of the latest pharma and healthcare news from Turkey including Omya’s new Turkish manufacturing site, Santa Farma’s fourth EU-GMP certification and the collaboration agreement between BioNTech and Turkey’s Koç University.   Omya production site in Turkey gains health authority approval (OutsourcingPharma) Swiss company, Omya, has gained official Turkish…

UAE Amgen’s Mohammed Nasser casts his eye on some of the key trends affecting healthcare and the life sciences in the Middle East and Africa, including a significant maturity in uptake of digital and telehealth tools, better synchronisation of electronic medical records, and how artificial intelligence can be used to better…

UAE Newly promoted to manage Aspen’s Middle East and Europe region, Daniel Vella Friggieri outlines the rationale behind the company’s strategic reconfiguration, how the South-Africa headquartered firm is looking to expand its portfolio in the region via partnerships, and the importance of flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking in driving growth.   The…

UAE Patrick van der Loo oversees Pfizer’s operations across the vast Middle East, Russia and Africa (MERA) region. In a wide-ranging and insightful conversation, van der Loo outlines the company’s approach to driving access to innovation in emerging markets and resource-constrained environments, including engaging in public-private partnerships where possible. He also…

UAE Saleh Al Hashimi of the Dubai Health Insurance Corporation (DHIC) gives an overview of the evolution of mandatory health insurance in Dubai over the past decade, with the number of residents under universal health coverage expanding from 500,000 to 4.5 million. Al Hashimi also touches on how the Emirate’s move…

Saudi Arabia The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has joined the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), aimed at harmonising inspection procedures worldwide. Through PIC/S membership the SFDA looks to continue bolstering its capabilities and further its international collaboration efforts.   SFDA’s accession to PIC/S is one of the strategic projects of…

UAE Ramy Koussa shares the passion and vision of focused women’s health player Organon in the MENAT region, how the organisation has adapted and improved to better serve women in the region in its first two years of operation as an independent company, and why multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaboration are crucial…