WHX Labs 2026 Dubai to target the global threat of antimicrobial resistance

UAE—The upcoming World Health Expo (WHX) Labs 2026 in Dubai, formerly known as Medlab Middle East, will spotlight one of the world’s most pressing health challenges: antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The event will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 10 to 13 February, addressing a threat that the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts could cause up to 10 million deaths annually and add nearly USD 1 trillion (AED 3.67 trillion) in global healthcare costs by 2050.

AMR develops when bacteria, viruses, and fungi evolve to resist medications, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of severe illness and death.

The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and agriculture remain the leading causes of this phenomenon.

Despite a 10% rise in global research and development (R&D) funding between 2017 and 2019, progress has been limited by a slow drug pipeline and an uneven focus on diagnostics.

A major highlight of WHX Labs 2026 will be the AMR Leaders’ Summit, taking place from 12 to 13 February, which will convene scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and innovators to accelerate practical responses to the AMR crisis.

The summit will be chaired by Dr. Wael Elamin, Medical Director, Environmental Sciences, M42, alongside co-chairs Prof. Abiola Senok of Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU); Dr. Kavita Diddi, President of the Emirates Society of Clinical Microbiology (ESCM); and Dr. Seema Oommen, Section Head of Microbiology and Infectious Molecular at Burjeel Medical City.

Dr. Elamin emphasized that antimicrobial resistance is no longer a distant concern but a present and escalating threat to global health security.

He noted that the summit aims to bridge policy, diagnostics, clinical practice, and innovation to foster a unified approach.

The first day of the summit will focus on global and regional responses to AMR, featuring keynote addresses from WHO and regional public health leaders.

Dr. Souha Kanj, Professor of Medicine and Chair of the Infection Control and Prevention Program at the American University of Beirut (AUB), will deliver the opening keynote, discussing antimicrobial resistance in conflict zones.

She will highlight how fragile countries often struggle to enforce AMR strategies due to conflict and economic instability.

On the second day, discussions will shift toward leadership, innovation, and the One Health approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental perspectives.

Sessions will draw lessons from the Middle East and Africa in genomic surveillance, epidemiology, and environmental determinants of AMR.

According to Tom Coleman, Group Exhibition Director at Informa Markets Healthcare, the inaugural AMR Leaders’ Summit represents a critical step toward global collaboration to preserve antibiotic effectiveness and strengthen health systems.

Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, WHX Labs 2026 will celebrate 25 years of laboratory innovation under the theme “Uniting Communities for Better Health.”

Running alongside the World Health Expo (WHX) at the Dubai Exhibition Centre from 9 to 12 February, it promises to be a leading global platform for laboratory excellence, innovation, and collaboration.