Category Archives: Medical Tourism/Health Tourism

Harare  :

Health experts have said Zimbabwe can become an oasis of medical tourism in the wake of the successful separation of conjoined twins at Harare Hospital.

Twins Kupakwashe and Tapiwanashe Chitiyo, who were conjoined from the pelvis to the breastbone, were successfully separated last week by a team of local surgeons.

Such twins are rare, occurring in about one out of every 200 000 live births, experts say. But the recent birth of conjoined twins and successful separation at Harare Hospital have put local healthcare in the spotlight.

Rutendo Bonde, Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) chairperson, said the development speaks to medical professionals’ commitment to service.

“This is indeed a commendable feat that the team of health professionals performed,” Bonde said. “It is a testimony of dedication and skill demonstrated by our local surgeons.”

From the milestone, government sees business opportunities.

“It shows Zimbabwe can get back to be an oasis of medical tourism where it will make sense for those in the region to start here than Canada,” said David Parirenyatwa, Health and Child Care minister.

However, Bonde said the Zanu PF-led government should first prioritise wider coverage and access to such high quality services locally.

“Our public health care needs to continue to be strengthened in terms of infrastructure and equipment, keep staff motivated for high quality service which is affordable, available and accessible — elements critical to the realisation of the right to health, which is a fundamental constitutional entitlement,” she said.

Itai Rusike, Community Working Group on Health executive director, while commending everyone who made the surgery possible in a harsh economy, said poverty remains a barrier to health care services.

“Millions of people continue to experience financial catastrophe every year from out-of-pocket health costs,” Rusike said. “There are glaring inequalities in health service coverage and quality, shaped by social, economic and political factors depriving the majority of Zimbabweans that need health services.”

According to Rusike, unless Zimbabwe starts prioritising the poorest and disadvantaged segments of its population, health outcomes will remain dismal.

“We need to prioritise the needs of the poorest, disadvantaged and most vulnerable segments of the population, aiming to achieve equitable healthcare access and health outcomes across all relevant dimensions, including socioeconomic status, gender, age, geography, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation,” Rusike said.

source: http://www.dailynews.co.zw / Daily News, Zimbabwe / Home / by Wendy Muperi / July 15th, 2014

LE TOUR: The peloton makes it’s way over Buttertubs Pass in the Yorkshire Dales. Work now needs to begin on capitalising on the exposure Yorkshire received in order to boost tourism, says head of tourism network

A TOURISM body is hoping to tap into the German love of health vacations as it looks to build on the success of the Tour de France.

As businesses look to reap the benefits of the unparalleled global coverage Yorkshire received with the Grand Depart, one tourism expert is calling for businesses to break new ground for tourism in the UK.

Susan Briggs, director of the Dales Tourism Business Network, says now that people globally are aware of Yorkshire as a destination, work needs to begin on capitalising on that goodwill and awareness.

She said one way this could be done would be by catering to European demand for fresh air and healthy activities to improve their health and wellbeing.

“Welcome to Yorkshire shouted about Yorkshire,” she said.

“Their job was to make people aware of Yorkshire. Our job now is to shout about the Yorkshire Dales, we have to fight for the market.

“We have opportunities for completely different kinds of tourism that Britain traditionally doesn’t attract.”

Mrs Briggs said targeting cycling-related tourism alone would not help boost the local tourist economy, as they tended not to linger in the locations they passed through or spend much money.

But she added: “What has been achieved with the Tour de France is brilliant – absolutely brilliant – but it doesn’t necessarily mean lots of visitors. What we need to do now is very specific, focused work and give people a reason to come.

“For example, in some countries like Germany one of the big forms of tourism is wellness tourism, which is the idea of being healthy such getting exercise and fresh air by getting out and about.

“Those wellness tourists spent up to 130 per cent more, because they spend on premium products like good quality B&Bs and quality food and they pay to have the right experiences and extra activities.”

Recent research showed a third of the UK’s population had their opinions on Yorkshire positively changed after the Grand Depart, with 25 per cent of the country now wanting to visit.

Chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, Gary Verity, has hailed the Tour de France a “game changer” and said it has begun to tap into the potential the county has for becoming a global destination.

source: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk / The Northern Echo / Home> News> Local News> North Yorkshire> Richmond & The Dales / Wednesday – July 16th, 2014

Union home minister Rajnath Singh (Photo: DC archives)

New Delhi:

Union ministry of home affairs is set to consider issuing visas to project India as the chosen destination for medical tourism, education and other such draws. Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday told the ministry’s foreigners division to chart out a clear policy to promote a visa policy that would boost the country’s image internationally and promote development.

Meanwhile, after the negative publicity the government received following the NGO controversy, the home minister asked the ministry to conduct “outreach programmes” to acquaint all NGOs with the various provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

Mr Singh is learnt to have stressed that NGOs receiving foreign funding in the country need to be sensitised about the rules and this can be done best by interacting with them through outreach programmes in different parts of India on a regular basis.

The move comes against the backdrop of an Intelligence Bureau report that alleged misuse of foreign grants by NGOs to obstruct various ongoing developmental projects in the country.

“While there will be no compromise on security, a piecemeal approach will be done away with and issuing of visas will have a special focus on bringing development,” an official said.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com /Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs ‘/ DC / Namrata Biji Ahuja / July 05th, 2014

Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council chief executive Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin says more foreigners are travelling to Malaysia for medical and health reasons and find the facilities excellent. — File pic credit www.princecourt.com

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Melbourne :

There has been a significant increase in the number of Australians visiting Malaysia in the early part of this year, Tourism Malaysia director Australia Mohd Roslan Abdullah said.

“January to April saw an increase of 21.6%, compared with the same period last year,” he told a sales mission here.

“Last year, Australia accounted for more than half a million visitors to Malaysia, making it our eighth strongest market.

“To capitalise on the Australia outbound travel and to tap into the massive potential that this market presents, a more focused and concerted effort is being undertaken.”

Roslan said Australia had always been an important source market for inbound tourists to Malaysia.

“So, it is only natural for us to intensify our promotional efforts here to ensure the continuous growth in Australia,” he told more than 120 travel agents and tour operators here.

He said the promotion of Visit Malaysia Year 2014 was paying dividends and he was confident Malaysia would see more Australian visitors.

The managing director of Penang Global Tourism, Ooi Geok Ling, and the chief executive of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin, also addressed the meeting.

Wong said more foreigners were travelling to Malaysia for medical and health reasons and found the facilities excellent.

Ooi said Penang was fast becoming a bustling island state of tourists from overseas and the mainland.

Wong also spoke to a group of business people at the Malaysian General Consulate here, arranged by the Consul General, Datuk Dr Mohd Rameez Yahaya.

source: http://www.therakyatpost.com / The Rakyat Post / Home> News / source: Bernama / Melbourne – June 26th, 2014