Breakthrough for Finnish Health Care in Saudi Arabia

Finnish health care companies Aino Health and Commit, together with the state of Finland, have been negotiating a major contract in Saudi Arabia to assist with the growing problem of diseases associated with changes in life-style. With support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Team Finland's FinlandCare growth programme, this significant opening into the Saudi Arabian market is also expected to bring more business to other companies in the sector.

The scheme concerns a project lasting several years to develop preventive health care for Type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases; breast cancer screening and children's preventive health care would also be developed.

"According to our estimate, the agreement under negotiation involves an investment worth about a EUR 50 million in the country's health care reforms," said Meria Heikelä, Director of Team Finland's FinlandCare program.

"Our objective is to assist Saudi Arabia in changing its health care operating models and focus from care for diseases towards preventive health care and health management. In particular, our solutions will serve schools, basic health care and companies' health management. Significant savings can be made by focusing on preventive health care," commented Aino Health's CEO Jyrki Eklund.

“Commit offers a culturally adapted system and procedure for breast cancer screening. With these screenings the majority of cases are identified early enough so that 95% of these women recover from the cancer without major complications," said Commit's CEO Markku Myllylä.