Dubai Healthcare City Authority, the governing body of the Dubai Healthcare City free zone, today received a delegation from the City of Essen in Germany, to discuss advances in global healthcare and research, and explore potential areas of cooperation.

Omar Oumeish, Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, welcomed Lord Mayor Thomas Kufen and members of the Essen Economic Development Agency delegation, along with Dr. Amer Ahmad Sharif, CEO – Education Sector Dubai Healthcare City Authority and Vice-Chancellor, Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Dr Ramadan AlBlooshi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory, DHCR; Dr Amer Al Zarooni, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City – Medical; among other senior representatives at the authority’s office.

During the meeting, an overview of the free zone’s initiatives was presented, and both sides shared best practices in medical education, research and healthcare technology. The delegation highlighted milestones achieved by the City of Essen, considered one of the top medical science locations in Europe, offering healthcare, medical research, and health management.

Currently, 40 German companies operate in DHCC, the oldest of which, medical laboratory group MEDLAB Analytik, has been operational since 2005. Global names, such as Dr?ger, Fresenius Medical Care, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, and Siemens Healthcare, have regional offices in the free zone. As of August 2018, close to 100 healthcare professionals from Germany practice in DHCC, with urology and obstetrics and gynecology being the top specialties among the majority of these physicians.

Regarding the meeting, Dr AlBlooshi said, "We are honoured to host Lord Mayor Kufen and his delegation. For both parties, developing and strengthening cooperation as key players in the global healthcare ecosystem has long-term benefits, from knowledge-sharing to facilitating investment in healthcare in our countries."

During the visit, the delegation toured the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, along with the Al Jalila Foundation research building in the free zone.

Commenting on the meeting, Mayor Thomas Kufen said, "The city of Essen is the location of our health industry of international renown. We want to expand this further and, therefore, I am very pleased about the exchange of our delegation with the representatives of Dubai Healthcare City to discuss medical technology, teaching and research."