Dubai will host 22nd IFOS World Congress at DWTC

Under the patronage of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai will host the 22nd edition of the International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (IFOS) World Congress from 17 - 21 January 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The event will bring together 7,000 specialised doctors from 180 countries, and 90 companies that will exhibit the latest therapeutic and diagnostic solutions in the sector.

His Excellency Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention and President of IFOS World Congress Dubai 2023, said the event reflects the emirate’s growing profile as a preferred venue for major global healthcare, medical and scientific events as well the UAE’s emergence as a leading healthcare market.

The first IFOS World Congress to be held in the Gulf region, the 22nd edition of the event is being organised in cooperation with the GCC ORL Head and Neck Society and the UAE ORL Head and Neck Society. Dubai was announced as the host of the global event early this year following IFOS’s decision to relocate the event from its originally planned host country.

Led by the UAE ORL Head and Neck Society with support from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Health Authority, the event is an exceptional platform for knowledge exchange and networking between stakeholders and professionals in the field. The IFOS World Congress Dubai is the first in-person edition of at the global gathering since 2017. Building on the success of previous meetings, the 2023 event will explore new horizons for enhancing ORL treatment and improving patient care and wellbeing.

Dr. Hussein Al Rand, who is also the Head of the UAE ORL Head and Neck Society, as well as the President of the GCC ORL Head and Neck Society said the IFOS World Congress Dubai will feature a total of 43 lectures on the latest developments in various ORL specialisations including audiology, speech and balance.

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of the Health Regulation Sector at the Dubai Health Authority, said winning the bid to host the prestigious IFOS World Congress reflects Dubai’s emergence as a major venue for global scientific and medical conferences. Events organised by the emirate bring together scientists, healthcare industry leaders, doctors and policymakers from across the world to exchange new ideas and knowledge. Dr. Al Mulla said Dubai has become a prominent destination for investment and talent in the sector and a major catalyst for the healthcare industry’s growth in the region and beyond. The IFOS World Congress will provide an opportunity to bring together stakeholders in the global ORL field to explore new ways to promote growth, development and innovation, he added.


On the sidelines of the Congress, four training workshops will be held at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences on 14 and 15 January on middle ear infections, cochlear implants and stapes replacement, Dr. Al Rand further said. Another set of workshops on 16 and 17 January will provide training on using endoscopes and surgical navigators. A total of 22 doctors from various Arab countries will participate in each workshop.  On 22 January, two workshops will be held at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, one on respiratory failure and snoring, and the other on plastic and functional surgeries. Each of these workshops will feature the participation of 20 doctors, he added.

The International Federation of ORL Societies (IFOS) is a non-political organisation representing over 50,000 otolaryngologists from about 120 member nations. Founded in 1965, IFOS’s mission is to identify critical global ORL care needs and disorders to propose treatment and prevention solutions and set priorities for these needs.

News Source: Dubai Media Office