Africa Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Africa Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The African magnetic resonance imaging market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.2% over the forecast period.

The COVID-19 pandemic has rendered a severe impact on the African magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) market. Due to the pandemic's increased patient influx and due to changes in diagnostic procedures, the healthcare systems in Africa were severely affected. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures that were scheduled in a few hospitals in Africa during the pandemic were postponed or delayed because they were viewed as non-urgent. For instance, an article titled, “The battle against Covid-19: the experience of an Egyptian radiology department in a university setting” published in October 2020 reported that the current COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in marked and rapid changes to the standing policies of radiology departments in Egypt. The research also concluded that according to modality type, the greatest decreases were reported in nuclear medicine, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-Ray, and other radiology services. The COVID-19 pandemic thus had a major impact on the African magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) market in 2020, which gained momentum in the later stages of 2021. In the upcoming years, it is anticipated that declining COVID-19 infection rates and patient numbers as well as rising procedure volume will lead to the significant growth of this market over the forecast period.

The key factors propelling the growth of the African magnetic resonance imaging market are the rising technological advancement, such as the inclusion of MRI with PET or CT, to provide imaging possibilities with less exposure to harmful radiations. For instance, an article titled, “A Framework for Advancing Sustainable MRI Access in Africa” published in May 2022 reported that to advance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) access across all African countries and meet the sustainable development goals of improving health and wellbeing in low-resource settings magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) community of the region partnered with CAMERA to create enabling clinical and research magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environments that can utilize the rich intellectual resources in Africa to realize lasting and equitable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for all Africans and the world at large. Similarly, in August 2022, the Institute of Human Virology in Nigeria (IHVN) entered into a partnership with Fujifilm, and Qure.ai, to help optimize tuberculosis (TB) screening outreach in Nigeria using imaging diagnostic services. Thus, such developments and partnerships are leading to technological developments in the region thereby fuelling the studied market.

The increasing geriatric population in the region is also fueling the growth of the market. The geriatric population is more prevalent to cerebral aging. Cerebral aging is a complex and heterogeneous process that is associated with a high degree of inter-individual variability. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify and quantify non-disease-related aging of the cerebral white matter, thereby fueling the market in the region. For instance, an article titled, "Predictive factors of epilepsy outcome in a sample of Egyptian pre-elderly and elderly population" published in April 2021, reported that the growing prevalence of epilepsy and other brain disorders among the elderly Egyptian population. The epilepsy seizure can be serious and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify any serious disorder that may have provoked the seizure. Thus, a high geriatric population in Africa is associated with many age-related disorders, which is likely to boost imaging diagnostics, thereby driving the market.

Also, government initiatives are driving the studied market in the region. For instance, in November 2020, the National Cancer Strategic for South Africa reported the South African government’s strategic framework had provided a platform for equitable access to cancer prevention and control, especially focussing on establishing new approaches, and strengthening existing and sustaining infrastructure and equipment to ensure timeous and appropriate access to diagnostic and treatment services. Thus, such government initiatives are providing better cancer diagnostic facilities for the people of South Africa, thereby driving the demand for magnetic resononce imaging devices, thus driving the studied market.

Thus, due to the aforesaid mentioned reasons, the market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. However, the high cost of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems may slow down its growth over the studied period.

Key Market TrendsOncology Segment is Expected to Witness a Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period.

Oncology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of tumors and cancers. The oncology segment is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the increasing number of cancer cases reported in the region and also due to the technological developments by the key market players contributing to this segment's growth. Furthermore, the growing awareness among the population regarding diagnostic like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems availability is expected to drive this segment in the region, thereby contributing to the studied market growth.

In 2020, International Agency for Research on Cancer (Globocan) reported that in 2020, about 1.11 million cancer cases were reported in Africa and this number is expected to increase to 2.08 million by 2040. Moreover, the elderly population is prone to getting chronic diseases, hence the importance of diagnostic imaging is increasing in the country. Similarly, in 2021, the United States Census Bureau reported that 74.4 million population in the African region are aged 65 and above, and this number is expected to grow up to 235.1 million by 2050. Medical imaging plays a particularly important role in the care of elderly patients, in whom complex symptomatology and a high prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases necessitate sensitive imaging modalities. Thus, the rising prevalence of cancer and the increase in the geriatric population is boosting the demand for disease diagnosis by imaging techniques that will further drive the studied growth.

Furthermore, advanced technologies along with artificial intelligence will enable the diagnosis of cases that have not yet shown symptoms, so patients can receive the necessary medical support in the early stages of the disease. For instance, in October 2021, Nizamiye Hospital Abuja, Nigeria inaugurated a GE 1.5 Tesla state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine to undertake diagnosis and monitoring of treatment for various conditions within significant body components. It is a newly commissioned MRI machine with a multifunctional machine capable of carrying out diagnoses on various parts of the body, including a multiparametric MRI of the prostate gland and the breast and, MR spectroscopy. Thus, the high incidence of cancer cases and recent developments for better diagnostic facilities is rising awareness among people about early diagnosis of diseases for prevention and faster cure is expected to show better growth in the forecast period.

Thus, due to the aforesaid mentioned reasons, the segment is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period thereby driving the market.

Egypt is Expected to Witness a Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period.

Egypt in Africa is expected to propel the region's magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) market. With the growth opportunities in emerging markets, companies such as GE Healthcare and Philips have developed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems for customers in Asia, South America, and Africa. The machines are built with a smaller footprint to be installed in smaller hospitals and are simple, easy to use, and economical to install and maintain are the reasons that are fueling the market growth.

The growing burden of cancers in the country such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, etc., along with the launch of new products and services is expected to boost the segment growth. As per the data published by Globocan 2020, the total number of cancer cases in the country was 1,34,632 in 2020 and this number is expected to increase to 2,35,152 by 2040. The country was dominated by breast cancer with 21% cases, followed by thyroid cancer at 10.3%, and colorectum cancer at 7.2% in 2020. Therefore, the expected increase in cancer cases will boost the demand for diagnostic imaging for detecting early signs of cancer, thus boosting the market.

Moreover, recent development in the country is also expected to drive the market in the country. For instance, in October 2021, Integrated Diagnostics Holdings launched Al-Borg Scan’s third branch in Egypt. The branch is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art radiology technology available on the market and offers a full suite of radiology services. Thus, such technological advancements are providing better diagnostic options to the people in the country, thereby driving the market.

Thus, due to the aforesaid mentioned reasons, the region is expected to witness significant growth, which can drive the studied market over the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape

The Africa magnetic resonance imaging market is consolidated in nature. The competitive landscape includes an analysis of a few international as well as local companies which hold the market shares and are well known as Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Stryker Corporation, GE Healthcare, Hitachi Ltd, Koninklijke Philips NV, Neusoft Corporation, Siemens AG, Analogic Corporation, Shimadzu Corporations, Mindray Medical International Limited, and Hologic Inc.

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