REHACARE CHINA: for visitors, country and progress

The rehabilitation industry is making great strides towards the future, and this is also noticeable in Asia. To meet this development, Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. has upgraded REHACARE SHANGHAI, which was originally to be held in Shanghai, to REHACARE CHINA and moved the trade fair to Suzhou. The event will take place from 23 to 25 August 2023.

We spoke to James Zhang, Senior Project Director of Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. about the background, the importance of the show for the country and the highlights of the event.

James, what is the status of topics such as rehabilitation and disability in China?

James Zhang: During the "13th Five-Year Plan," the rehabilitation of people with disabilities in China took off. Disability prevention and rehabilitation were included in the overall plan of the national medical and health enterprise, along with the strategy for a healthy China. Basic rehabilitation services for people with disabilities have also been comprehensively included in this plan. At the same time, due to the rapid aging of the population and people's increasing health consciousness, the demand for rehabilitation services is increasing, and the future market is becoming larger. According to research and statistics from "The Lancet", China has become the country with the largest rehabilitation demand in the world. The number of people in need of rehabilitation is around 460 million.

What role does REHACARE CHINA play in these developments?

James Zhang: The trade fair will further promote the rehabilitation industry in China and integrate people with disabilities even better into society. To this end, we are using over 40 years of experience and the resources of the parent trade fair REHACARE INTERNATIONAL. With the help of "Rehabilitation Planet", the show's platform, people with disabilities, industry experts, government agencies and solution providers will be able to connect in real time throughout the year. Whether it's rehabilitation products, employment advice, information sharing, social inclusion or other topics – it's meant to be a place of exchange.

You have also decided on a new venue. From now on, the fair will be held in Suzhou, why?

James Zhang: Suzhou is located in the hinterland of the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone and is one of the most economically developed regions in China and one of the most mature and active cities in the rehabilitation and care industry. In 2022, Suzhou Municipal Government released the "Action Plan for Quality Development of the Health Care Industry in Suzhou City (2022-2025)", targeting the industry in Suzhou and further promoting the rapid development of the rehabilitation industry in China. The upgrading and relocation of REHACARE CHINA to Suzhou will give new impetus to the development of rehabilitation services for a larger number of people with rehabilitation needs, and also create an important communication platform for the industry.

The connection with Medical Fair China (MFC) can also be of help here, right?

James Zhang: We want to join forces, that's why REHACARE CHINA will be held at the same time as Medical Fair China (MFC), another important exhibition organized by Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai). The size of the exhibition will reach 15,000 square meters for both fairs together. MFC is the satellite exhibition of MEDICA, the world's largest medical equipment show. Under the slogan of "Drive The Development Of Healthcare", the fair will cover the whole chain of medical industry from source to end, bring together advanced medical technology products and promote industrial upgrading and innovation.

You have set various focuses at the trade fair. Tell us, what can visitors expect at the trade fair?

James Zhang: "High-tech assistive devices, usher in the era of intelligent rehabilitation. The superiority of intelligent rehabilitation technology in improving clinical work efficiency and rehabilitation precision is becoming increasingly clear. We devote a special area to the theme, where well-known companies such as BrainCo, Real Star, Gyenno Science, Sunrise Medical, Yeecon, Intco, Wisking, Quality Life, Bewatec, Sweetrich, Illinois, iSUN 3D, Carotec, Dreamport and others will be represented. Products on display include intelligent bionic hands, intelligent prostheses, exoskeleton lower limb rehabilitation systems, intelligent walkers, intelligent care robots, customized high-end wheelchairs, intelligent electric wheelchairs and other advanced intelligent rehabilitation products and technologies.

According to statistics, there are nearly 30 million people with hearing and speech disabilities in China. You also focus on that, right?

James Zhang: Exactly, in order to help people with hearing disabilities, eliminate invisible problems and enable barrier-free communication, we also want to show what is possible or can become possible here: Bone conduction hearing aids, hearing aid testers, audio analyzers and intelligent 3D rehabilitation systems will be presented. In addition, hearing aid fitting activities will also be organized at the fair. We will also address barriers related to the entire life cycle of hearing aids for people with hearing disabilities.

And what's the "Ability Carnival" all about?

James Zhang: We are bringing a special show to the fairgrounds. During the "Ability Carnival", Paralympic champions, national self-improvement models, technical experts and charities for people with disabilities will perform on stage one after the other. The idea: through various activities such as sports, training and sharing experiences, they can encourage and possibly help people with disabilities to live independently. At the same time, the aim is to call on society to work together to remove barriers in order to achieve deeper social integration.