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World Health Expo (WHX) Labs in Dubai, formerly known as Medlab Middle East, will celebrate 25 years of innovation at its 2026 edition, reinforcing its position as the region’s leading laboratory and diagnostics event and a key pillar of the world’s largest healthcare gathering.
Held from February 10–13 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), WHX Labs in Dubai will coincide with World Health Expo (WHX) in Dubai, creating an unparalleled global platform for healthcare dealmaking, collaboration and knowledge exchange. The event is held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, underscoring the nation’s commitment to delivering world-leading healthcare and advancing scientific excellence.
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Marking a quarter century of progress, the 2026 edition will be staged under the theme “25 years of laboratory innovation: Uniting Communities for better health”, bringing together global laboratory leaders, innovators and policymakers to address some of the most pressing challenges facing healthcare systems worldwide.
A quarter century of growth and global influence
Over the past 25 years, WHX Labs in Dubai has evolved from a regional laboratory exhibition into a global marketplace for diagnostics, laboratory science and precision medicine. In 2025 alone, the event generated $621m in business and attracted 27,853 professional visits, reflecting its growing commercial and strategic relevance to the global healthcare ecosystem.
Building on this momentum, the 2026 edition is expected to host more than 800 exhibitors from over 40 countries and welcome more than 35,000 professional visits. The scale of participation highlights Dubai’s role as an international convening hub for healthcare innovation and reinforces WHX Labs Dubai’s position as a catalyst for cross-border collaboration.
“Having been at the forefront of the laboratory industry in the UAE over the past 25 years, WHX Labs in Dubai continues to drive the future of healthcare,” said Tom Coleman, group exhibition director, Informa Markets Healthcare. “Over the course of four days, the 2026 edition will unite laboratory experts, healthcare leaders, innovators and technology providers from around the world at DWTC, delivering new possibilities in global healthcare diagnostics.”
Launch of two summits signals a strategic expansion
A defining feature of WHX Labs in Dubai 2026 will be the launch of a new flagship conference: the AMR Leaders’ Summit, designed to expand the event’s role as a global platform for advancing healthcare innovation and policy alignment.
This launch signal a strategic expansion beyond traditional laboratory disciplines, reflecting the growing importance of genomics, data-driven medicine and antimicrobial resistance in shaping the future of global healthcare delivery.
From Diagnostics to a global health vision: Medlab evolves into WHX Labs
After more than 25 years of establishing itself as the leading laboratory diagnostics platform in the Middle East, Medlab is evolving. The transition to WHX Labs in Dubai marks not just a rebrand, but a strategic expansion of purpose.
“Healthcare is changing at an unprecedented pace,” said Coleman. “The convergence of diagnostics, digital health, data, therapeutics, and population health means laboratories can no longer be viewed in isolation.”
The new WHX identity reflects this reality. WHX Labs is positioned not merely as a diagnostics exhibition but as a core pillar of a global health ecosystem. The rebrand allows the conversation to shift, from products to systems, from testing to outcomes, and from regional relevance to global leadership.
WHX is more than a single event. In Dubai, WHX Labs operates alongside WHX Dubai and WHX Leaders as part of an interconnected platform spanning policy, investment, innovation, and clinical delivery. “This approach places laboratories at the center of healthcare decision-making rather than at the periphery,” Coleman explained, highlighting a vision that positions the region as a hub for the future of integrated healthcare.
Spotlight on antimicrobial resistance as a global health threat
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will take centre stage at WHX Labs in Dubai 2026, reflecting its growing urgency as a global health and economic challenge. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), AMR could cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050 and add as much as $1trn in global healthcare costs within the next 25 years.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses and fungi evolve to resist medications, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of severe illness, disability and death. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals and agriculture remain the leading drivers of resistance, compounded by systemic gaps and a limited pipeline of new drugs.
While investment in research and development increased by 10 per cent between 2017 and 2019, progress continues to lag behind funding for diagnostics, highlighting the need for coordinated, multidisciplinary solutions.
AMR Leaders’ Summit to bridge research and implementation
A flagship launch for 2026, the AMR Leaders’ Summit, held from February 12–13, will convene scientists, clinicians, policymakers and innovators to help bridge the gap between research and real-world implementation.
The summit will be chaired by Dr Wael Elamin, medical director, Environmental Sciences, M42, with co-chairs including Professor Abiola Senok, chair of Basic Medical Sciences and Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at MBRU; Dr Kavita Diddi, president of the Emirates Society of Clinical Microbiology; and Dr Seema Oommen, section head of Microbiology and Infectious Molecular at Burjeel Medical City.
“Antimicrobial resistance is no longer a future risk, it is a present and growing threat to global health security,” said Dr Elamin. “Tackling AMR requires alignment across policy, diagnostics, clinical practice and innovation. The AMR Leaders’ Summit at WHX Labs in Dubai is designed to move beyond discussion and drive practical solutions that enhance surveillance, support responsible antimicrobial use and protect patient outcomes worldwide.”
Global policy, innovation and One Health in focus
The opening day of the AMR Leaders’ Summit will focus on global and national responses to AMR, featuring keynote insights from the WHO and regional public health leaders. Sessions will explore technology and innovation, genomics, equity in AMR policy, and how hospital practices are expected to evolve by 2028.
Dr Souha Kanj, professor of Medicine and chair of the Infection Control and Prevention Program at the American University of Beirut, will deliver the opening keynote, addressing antimicrobial resistance in conflict zones.
“Policy discussions focus on national action plans, regulatory frameworks, and governance structures,” she said, “while acknowledging that many countries, particularly those affected by conflict or economic instability, struggle to fully implement global AMR recommendations.”
The second day will shift attention to leadership, innovation and One Health approaches, highlighting lessons from Africa and the Middle East in genomic surveillance, epidemiology and environmental determinants of AMR. Open-mic sessions and networking opportunities will encourage dialogue and reinforce the summit’s goal of coordinated, actionable outcomes.
Scientific excellence and industry leadership on display
WHX Labs in Dubai will also host the 25th Annual Laboratory Management and Medicine Congress, featuring eight CME-accredited scientific conference tracks, including laboratory management, haematology, clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, molecular diagnostics, histopathology, lab quality management, and blood transfusion medicine and cell therapy.
Led by 250 global thought leaders and laboratory specialists, the congress reflects the event’s 25-year journey under the theme “Celebrating the past and empowering the future of lab quality through innovation and global benchmarking.”
Attendees will also participate in interactive workshops led by industry experts from MGI Tech, Sysmex and Snibe, offering hands-on insights and networking opportunities.
Global marketplace for diagnostics and laboratory solutions
The exhibition will showcase advancements across eight dedicated laboratory sectors, including disposables, diagnostic tests, imaging and diagnostics, laboratory devices, healthcare and general services, laboratory equipment, laboratory instruments, and reagents and chemicals.
Global healthcare leaders confirmed for the event include Abbott, Al Borg Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Biomerieux, Dedalus, PureLab, Randox, Sansure, Siemens Healthineers, Snibe Diagnostic, Sysmex Middle East and World Data Exchange, among others.
WHX Labs in Dubai will run alongside World Health Expo (WHX) in Dubai, held from February 9–12 at Dubai Exhibition Centre, further reinforcing its role within the world’s largest healthcare gathering.
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