Roche to train lab technicians as it looks to grow in Gulf diagnostics market

The Swiss healthcare company Roche plans to train laboratory technicians in Jebel Ali as it pushes for a greater share of the diagnostics market in the Arabian Gulf.
The company will start training employees of its clients, which include hospitals, from next month. It expects to train 600 people in the first year.
"Getting the right staff is a challenge and our diagnostics equipment requires highly competent personnel to do troubleshooting and maintenance among other services," said Michael Heuer, Roche Diagnostics' president of Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America, on the sidelines of the four-day Arab Health exhibition in Dubai.
"There is a shortage in [personnel] handling instrument," said Moritz Hartmann, the Middle East general manager at Roche Diagnostics. "In many areas we are bringing in fully automated machines that require new skills."
Last year Roche introduced training programmes for its staff of 300 in the Mena region, which includes offices in Dubai, Riyadh and Cairo.
At the Arab Health exhibition yesterday, Roche unveiled a blood screening device that integrates screening for HIV, Hepatitis B and West Nile virus, anaemia, diabetes and thalassemia.
The instrument, which was in development for five years, will be available worldwide from the third quarter.
The company, however, declined to give a price for the device.
It will be targeted at hospitals as well as the more than 200 blood banks in the Middle East.
The Zurich-listed company's pharmaceutical division accounted for 77 per cent of sales and diagnostics the remaining 23 per cent in 2012. The company is due to report its latest results on Thursday.
In 2012, the diagnostics division contributed 10.26 billion Swiss francs (Dh420.05bn) of its global sales, up 4 per cent from 9.73bn francs in the previous year.
The Arabian Gulf region contributes about 2.5 per cent of worldwide revenues to the division, said Mr Heuer.
Healthcare spending in the region has been rising for the past few years.
The Ministry of Health allocated Dh519 million for the purchase of medicines and medical equipment this year, the Arabic daily Al Ittihad reported this month.
The healthcare sector at the Jebel Ali free zone alone generated trade worth US$3.6bn in 2012, according to the free zone. Besides Roche, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer and Sodexo also have their offices there.
ssahoo@thenational.ae

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

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Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

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7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer