TEHRAN –The 25th international exhibition on medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and laboratory equipment (Iran Health Expo 2024) kicked off at the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds on Saturday and will wrap up on Tuesday.

More than 600 companies are showcasing their latest findings and products in consumable and non-consumable medical, dental, laboratory, and pharmaceutical equipment at the exhibition, ISNA reported.

The distinguishing feature of this year's expo, compared to last year’s edition, is the focus on emerging manufacturing and knowledge-based companies and startups in the medical equipment industry, offering a wide range of health-oriented products.

This year’s exhibition presents a unique opportunity for the emergence and introduction of startups and small to medium-sized knowledge-based companies while showcasing their capabilities and innovation.

Iran Health aims to develop health technologies in the country, enhance the global competitiveness of Iranian knowledge-based companies in markets, expand the exports of knowledge-based and technological firms in the health sector, and form domestic and foreign technological consortia in Iran and global markets.

Sharing experiences of health technology development as well as attracting foreign investment in the field of health are among other important goals of holding the exhibition.

Additionally, Iran Health aims to showcase the country’s latest products and achievements in the fields of medical engineering; dental, medical, ophthalmic, and orthopedic equipment; pharmaceuticals; home care products; remote therapy; physiotherapy; surgical and medical emergency equipment; sonography and endoscopy; medical applications; electrical equipment; beauty products; and plastic surgery.

A number of foreign countries are participating in the Iran Health exhibition, with China, Russia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates having the largest pavilions, respectively.

Knowledge-based companies manufacturing medications

Some 600 medical equipment companies are active in the country, producing around 99 percent of the medicine supplied to the domestic market. Medical equipment manufacturers in the country produce and supply over 10,000 types of medical equipment to domestic and foreign markets. Now, various pieces of laboratory equipment are manufactured at prices much lower than the same foreign products.

Iranian knowledge-based companies have succeeded in producing recombinant drugs which are mainly used for treating hard-to-treat diseases such as cancers, MS, hemophilia, and viral diseases.

Over 60 countries import Iranian medical equipment

On January 13, the head of Iran’s Union of Medical Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters said that medical equipment worth around $20 million is exported to more than 60 countries annually.

More than 70 percent of medical equipment and 100 percent of normal hospital beds are domestically made, IRNA quoted Abdolreza Yaqoubzadeh as saying.

Also, over 95 percent of specific ICU and CCU beds and more than 85 percent of operating room medical equipment such as anesthesia machines and other equipment are manufactured with cutting-edge technology in the country, he added.

Yaqoubzadeh went on to say that the country's need for medical equipment production is three to four billion dollars per year, some one billion dollars of which is imported.

MT/MG