Hundreds of innovators and health stakeholders showed up at the Medic East Africa Exhibition 2024 held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Wednesday to showcase their products and services.
The event showcased state-of-the-art advancements in healthcare and laboratory innovations, revolutionary technologies, and attended by prominent figures from the health industry.
The exhibition offered a platform for anyone interested in seeking to explore new healthcare and laboratory products, establishing fresh supplier relationships, expanding knowledge, or enhancing their business connections with the global medical device and equipment market.
On its first day, the summit saw healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and tech experts converge under one roof and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of East African Universal Healthcare.
Present at the summit were over 200 exhibitors from over thirty countries across the globe including; Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Uganda, South Africa, China, France, Germany, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Norway just to mention a few.
Products exhibited during the summit include mobile surgical machines, medical beds, medical disposable items, medical consumable goods, and medical equipment just to mention a few.
With a successful day one, the exhibition was able to link manufacturers and service providers with clinicians, procurement professionals, dealers, and distributors.
Apart from the exhibition, relevant medical stakeholders across the region engaged in meaningful discussions with the key discussion topic for day one being healthcare leadership.
Hosted by Brenda Obondo, the Chief Executive Officer at Kenya Medical Association, the panel agreed that the region faces a common challenge in delivering universal healthcare due to the political changes that shake up the healthcare sector every time a new regime takes over.
Samuel Ogillo, the CEO of private health facilities in Tanzania challenged the region to support local manufacturers, let them access finances, boost their innovations, and help them network with foreign manufacturers.
"The regions leadership should provide special packages for local manufacturers, improve the business environment for local manufactures and encourage foreign manufacturers to partner with our local manufacturers to foster networking and promote local production and growth", Samuel Ogillo said.
Also present at the expo was Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata who championed the use of technology in the health sector. He pointed out several projects including telemedicine which are ongoing in his county and challenged the region to embrace the use of technology in the health sector.
The expo is set to extend for another two days of continued networking, innovations, and engaging discussions.