World Health Expo (WHX) in Dubai kicks off on Monday, February 9, bringing together policymakers, clinicians, investors, and technology leaders from across the globe.  

Running from February 9 to 12, the show marks a significant milestone in the event’s evolution. For the first time, this is being hosted at the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), following a 15% year-on-year increase in exhibition space and growing international demand. The event will showcase 4,300 exhibitors with 235,000 professional visits expected from more than 180 countries.  

The growing scale of the exhibition has been matched by increasing participation from both the public and the private sectors, reinforcing WHX in Dubai’s role as a platform for strategic discussions on the future of healthcare systems, from opportunities and innovation pathways to regulatory challenges and implementation barriers.  

This year, strong public-sector representation includes the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, Dubai Health Authority, Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Health Authority, as well as Dubai Health, Dubai Healthcare City Authority, Emirates Health Services, Emirates Council for Integrative Medicine, and the Emirates Drug Establishment.   

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Internationally, the exhibition’s global footprint continues to grow, with 32 country pavilions. This includes returning pavilions from major healthcare markets such as China, Germany, the US, the UK and Korea, and first-time participants including Slovakia, Thailand and Croatia, reflecting a continued geographical expansion.  

The exhibition floor is hosting some of the largest and most prominent stands in WHX Dubai’s history, with leading healthcare organisations such as GE Healthcare, Siemens, Philips, Canon, United Imaging, American Hospital, Saudi German Health, Almoosa Health Group, and Al Khayyat Investments. Their participation highlights WHX in Dubai’s role as a marketplace for innovation, procurement and long-term partnerships.  

Alongside the physical scale of event, new digital tools have also been introduced to improve attendee experience and engagement. The new WHX Events App is now live and will provide a comprehensive exhibitor directory, enable session reservations and facilitate networking opportunities based on ticket tier. Powered by blue-dot navigation technology, the app will also support real-time wayfinding across the expansive exhibition floors.   

Another new addition is EVAA (Sherlock), an AI-powered assistant designed to personalise the event journey for attendees. Accessible via web browser, EVAA (Sherlock) will support a more targeted and efficient participation.   

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At the heart of WHX in Dubai 2026 is a future-focused content programme built around three flagship stages. The Future X Stage will spotlight disruptive ideas, start-ups and scalable innovation, while the Frontiers Stage will explore breakthroughs in biotechnology, oncology, women’s health, and longevity. The Visionary Stage will bring together senior leaders to examine investment, governance, ESG and digital health at scale.  

New for 2026 is the WHX Deep Dive Series, combining hands-on bootcamps with executive-level masterclasses, alongside CME-accredited conferences spanning multiple medical specialties.  

WHX in Dubai is being co-timed with WHX Labs in Dubai, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, at Dubai World Trade Centre from February 10-13. It is the region’s leading medical laboratory exhibition, bringing together the global lab community to discover cutting-edge diagnostics, technology and innovation.   

Both events are held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.