The Middle East and the GCC have built an incredible array of advanced life and health sciences offerings, in line with internationally leading standards. The region continues to support clinicians and patients alike through cutting-edge medical research and world-class healthcare.
The Health Sector Transformation Program of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the Dubai Health Strategy, the Abu Dhabi Healthcare Strategic Plan, and Qatar’s National Health Strategy demonstrate the level of ambition and investment into each jurisdictions’ respective life sciences development goals.
Those ambitions are ones shared by Northern Ireland. The country offers a prime location for life and health sciences businesses. Its unique combination of talent, world-class research, and strong links between industry, academia, and clinicians in the commercialisation of innovative research delivers results. Exporting to over 140 countries, Northern Ireland’s innovative and advanced manufacturing industry has grown three times faster in recent years than in the rest of the United Kingdom.
One of those manufacturers is the Northern Ireland indigenous healthcare company, Randox: the largest manufacturer of clinical diagnostics in the UK and Ireland. From clinical chemistry reagents and analysers, quality control material, internal quality control software, RIQAS – the largest global EQA scheme in the world - and Biochip Array Technology (BAT) that allows simultaneous detection of multiple analytes using a single patient sample for a complete patient profile and effective diagnosis. Randox has a comprehensive suite of products that supports clinicians worldwide in making fast, accurate diagnoses.
More recently in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic the company developed a range of diagnostic solutions to diagnose active SARS-COV-2 infections and was selected by the UAE to deliver PCR tests to all passengers flying from the United Kingdom and Ireland to the UAE during the pandemic. In addition, Randox delivers its biochip array technology to a range of UAE police departments to detect the presence of various abusive drugs in the most common medicines right through to the most modern synthetic pharmaceuticals.
Randox is a stellar example of both the reliability and innovation that companies can enjoy when working as part of the Northern Ireland’s life and health sciences sector. The country’s rich history across science and medicine, which laid the foundation for its 17 world-leading research centres, has created a robust life sciences ecosystem where companies can grow and expand.
Supporting the accelerated development of the GCC’s healthcare sector
Armstrong Medical, a Northern Ireland healthcare manufacturer, is another example of how Northern Ireland businesses are supporting the life and health sciences industry across the GCC.
A specialist manufacturer of respiratory care products, Armstrong Medical designs and manufactures products which are used on an estimated 7.5 million patients worldwide for anaesthesia. The company’s resuscitation and respiratory support products are used on 65,000 babies and 35,000 adults internationally.
Armstrong Medical is a business that extends across the GCC, delivering its products to key distributors throughout the region. Over the past 15 years, Armstrong Medical has also worked with health ministries in the Middle East, actively supporting them to deliver a higher level of care to patients.
Middle East healthcare entities want to know that their suppliers and partners are delivering world-leading, reliable, and innovative solutions that support frontline doctors and nurses. Ensuring that the region’s healthcare industry is anchored in highly reliable partnerships with best-in-class manufacturers is critical.
Northern Ireland’s vibrant and innovative life and health sciences sector delivers that reassurance to the Middle East’s healthcare companies and providers, ensuring that they continue to meet their developmental ambitions.
Armstrong Medical and Randox are exemplars of the offering that Northern Ireland’s life and health sciences sector has for the wider GCC healthcare industry. As entities seek to meet the ambitions of national healthcare strategies, partnering with robust, market-leading suppliers will not only boost their business operations, but also fundamentally support the delivery of world-class care to patients across the region.
Find out more information on the Life and Health Sciences sector in Northern Ireland: www.investni.com/life-and-health-sciences
Philip McCann is the International Trade Advisor at Invest NI. <<Back to Management
