280 companies to join Vietnam Medi Pharm Expo 2016

The companies, which come from many countries and territories namely the US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Egypt, India, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Iran, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, China, will participate in the expo with 350 display booths. The highlight of the exhibition will be the display areas of Kazakhstan, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Iran, China, Taiwan, India, Pakistan and Vietnam.

For the first time joining the expo, Kazakhstan will introduce pharmaceutical products, blood vacuum tubes, and disposable products. Companies from the country are aiming to expand in the Vietnamese market and learn experiences in fertility treatment from collaborations with Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.

Iran will also be joining the expo for the first time, displaying pharmaceutical products. In the state visit paid by former Vietnamese president Truong Tan Sang to Iran in March the two countries agreed to raise bilateral trade to $2 billion in five years to come.

Korea, which has been a trusted partner in provision of products in dentistry, cosmetics and rehabilitations to local hospitals, will bring more than thirty companies to the expo. Many of the companies have been regular participants such as Skysoftgel, SG Healthcare, InBody, Dmetec, Personal Medical, Hwail, Bc World and want to increase cooperation with companies, hospitals, medical clinics and beauty salons located in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces.

Besides, 200 local corporations, manufacturers, trading companies and importers are going to be present. This year the expo expects 15,000 visitors.

Hua Phu Doan, vice president cum general secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Medical Equipment Association said Vietnam has emerged as an attractive destination for foreign investors, particularly pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies.

“The Vietnamese market for drugs and medical equipment has average revenue of $800 million per year, and this number is expected to reach $1.2 billion in 2016 and $1.8 billion in 2018. The average growth would be 18-20 per cent in the 2016-2020 period,” he said.

Professor, Ph.D. Pham Le Tuan, head of the Finance department of the Ministry of Health said about 90 per cent medical equipment available in local hospitals came from foreign countries such as Japan, Germany, America, China and Singapore, accounting for more than 50 per cent of total import values.

Qua That Chuan, general director of Nguyen Quoc Medical Corp, said he was pleased with the exhibition, in which his company joined last year.

“We are a loyal participant of the Vietnam Medi Pharm Expo for years in both cities. The expo offers us a chance to meet with customers and hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City and provinces. The exhibition has been expanding in scale and more customers have participated. As a result, we have struck partnerships with FV Hospital, Vu Anh hospital, Becamex hospital, Vinmec hospital and City International Hospital, among others,” he said.

The expo will include conferences on the local pharmaceutical products and medical equipment market, organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Medical Equipment Association, and the fact-finding tour to Cho Ray Hospital.

The Vietnam Medi Pharm Expo 2016 will take place on August 11 to 13 at the Saigon Exhibition and Conferences Center at 799 Nguyen Van Linh Street, Tan Phu Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City.

The event, held twice a year in Ho Chi Minh City in August and Hanoi in December, promotes trade in medicine and medical equipment. It is a platform for the world’s medical technology and equipment companies to access local private and pubic hospitals and local companies.

Vietnam’s demand for medical equipment is on the rise, particularly for imaging, operations, emergency, testing, and especially hi-tech equipment for hospitals in big cities including Ho Chi Minh, Hue, Danang and Can Tho. Ho Chi Minh City alone expects to spend $900 million upgrading its hospitals.