I was pleased to be invited by a friend to attend the Riyadh First Health Cluster International Conference (ICC-R1) in the Saudi capital (where else?), arriving on the final day—too late to catch the Saudi Minister of Health but in time to get a feel for the event.

The three-day conference on 12-14 September, held at the Mövenpick Hotel, was dedicated to advancing cardiovascular care and fostering innovation in healthcare by showcasing the latest cardiac trials, guidelines, and technologies. Organised by R1 and the Heart Health Centre at King Saud Medical City, a tertiary care hospital ranked second in Riyadh and 56th globally, the annual event represents the Ministry of Health’s Cluster One initiative. 

This year’s ICC-R1 event attracted 2,077 participants and covered topics such as the role of AI in medical research and its diagnostic applications in cardiovascular disease. It was somewhat amusing to see sessions on TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation), as I had previously worked on an ebook about the same topic with an acquaintance from Edwards Lifesciences back in Dubai.

During the event, I made new acquaintances, including the event MC, a chap from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. We discovered we share a love for football — both of us are Hilal fans, though he supports Madrid, whereas it’s fair to say I am firmly not. I look forward to catching some local matches with him in Riyadh in the near future. I also connected with someone who runs a WhatsApp group with thousands of members, where any talk of politics is strictly banned (I couldn’t resist politely asking if that included Brexit).