Category Archives: Medical Tourism/Health Tourism

RM570m revenue from health tourism last year

Posted on March 22, 2013 | Comments Off on RM570m revenue from health tourism last year

Kuala Lumpur , March 21 (Bernama) :

The health tourism sector has generated RM570.5 million in revenue last year, following improved customer experience, proactive alliances and niche marketing.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said, “We have seen a more than 20 percent growth in terms of health tourism since the past three years.”

Health tourism has been outlined as one of the entry point projects under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA), and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council was established to drive the promotion.

Speaking at the launching of the Healthcare in Asia 2013 conference, here, today, Liow said as for the national budget allocation, the ministry hoped to push for at least 10 percent to be allocated for the health sector compared to the current eight percent.

However there would be no cut back in budget allocation for the health sector, he added.

On another aspect, Liow also assured that the government would always retain a vested interest to intervene decisively in the health system despite the growing private-driven initiatives in healthcare.

“This is to maintain four broad objectives, that is, universal coverage, equity in health delivery and financing, ensuring financial protection and addressing market failures in health,” he added.

source: http://www.mysinchew.com / Home> News / March 21st, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Reports,Features, Statistics

Dubai Healthcare City targets Russian medical tourists

Posted on March 22, 2013 | Comments Off on Dubai Healthcare City targets Russian medical tourists

Dubai:

To showcase its unique health-care model and to encourage medical tourists from Russia, Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC)  will participate in the 4th Moscow Medical and Health Tourism Congress on March 22-23.

As a key player in the medical tourism initiative that was announced in 2012, it will target visitors who are looking to blend their medical and travel needs. The number of Russian visitors to Dubai increased by 54 per cent last year and tourists from the country are among the top five travellers to the emirate.

The congress is a platform for the  DHCC  to demonstrate its position as an established centre of health care excellence and to target visitors travelling to Dubai.

Staff Report

source: http://www.zawya.com / Home> Healthcare> News Articles / By Gulf News / Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

 

Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved

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Posted in Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Medical Treatment/Health Treatment Subject By Speciality, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

Medical Tourism and Hair Transplants

Posted on March 20, 2013 | Comments Off on Medical Tourism and Hair Transplants

Many people from developed nations are taking advantage of medical tourism. First world countries charge massive sums of money for medical treatment and this is why many needy patients are looking at ways of locating good treatment at a lower cost. People who leave their home country to receive treatment including surgery or specialist treatment for diseases are referred to as “medical tourists”. The majority of people who travel for such purposes reside in developed nations such as the USA or other European countries and head off to an under developed nation that offers good medical care for less money.

Some people view this exercise as money saving whilst others find that the medical procedure they require is only carried out in other countries. Those who travel for medical purposes seek many types of treatment including cardiac surgery, knee or hip replacement,aesthetic surgery or dental treatment. The majority of countries that welcome medical tourists offer many medical procedures performed with a high level of skill and offered at a much, much lower price.

Some people frown upon the idea of traveling in order to receive medical care, they feel that the practice impacts on the general standards of care that are available to the middle classes within that country, yet cosmetic surgery can be a profitable venture. Medical tourists are flocking to countries such as Brazil and Israel where they are able to access affordable plastic surgery. Many foreign countries are well known for carrying out plastic surgery and breast implants although hair transplant surgery has recently become quite popular. There are numerous countries that offer expert hair transplant surgery.

hairtransplantCT20mar2013

One of those countries is Canada.

Canadian surgeons seem to excel in hair transplantation. Canada is much like the USA, but the country offers cheaper medical procedures and noticeably cheaper cosmetic surgery. European males are willing to travel to have a hair surgery transplant, as are males from the USA, Africa and The Middle East. A hair transplant can be great for males and females who are going bald due to natural causes or illness. Hair transplant surgery may be the only alternative for many conditions that cause hair loss.

Some of the best transplant surgeons in Canada use the laser slit technique. This new and innovative procedure involves transplanting hair follicles from one part of the body to another, allowing hair to re- grow in a very natural way. Canada has a good record for this type of surgery and the results of the transplant are speedy. Skilled cosmetic surgeons are adept at this procedure, and the surgery doesn’t take long to carry out. Patients recovers in a very short space of time. Naturally this saves the patient a lot of time and money.

Because the Canadian surgeons have perfected the art of transplanting hair they are now able to offer their clients far better value for money. Of course good news soon spreads hence many are thinking of going to Canada for hair transplantation surgery. The country has proven strengths in this field and overall it has impacted on the nation’s economy, so one could say that everyone is a winner.

About the author: Adam writes for Dr. Tim Love , one of the top plastic surgeons in Oklahoma City.

source: http://www.hivehealthmedia.com / Hive Health Media / Home / by Adam Kutner / March 20th, 2013

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Posted in Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Medical Treatment/Health Treatment Subject By Speciality, Others, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

Medical tourists from BD to Thailand mark rise

Posted on March 19, 2013 | Comments Off on Medical tourists from BD to Thailand mark rise

The number of medical tourists from Bangladesh to Thailand is increasing day by day, according to statistics of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), a Thai government agency responsible for its tourism promotion.

In 1997, approximately 32,213 Bangladeshis went to Thailand for health and medical treatment while the number rose to about 55,000 in 2011, registering average growth of about 4 per cent a year, as per the data provided by TAT official.

According to the TAT data, most the Bangladeshi tourists to Thailand went there for medical and health services.

In the overall tourism sector, about 65,150 persons from Bangladesh visited Thailand in 2011. Out of the number, approximately 55,000 Bangladeshis went for medical and health services in the same year, as per the data.

“The trend of Bangladeshi tourists of going to Thailand for health services is due mainly to better quality health services at cheaper rate there”, Runjuan Tongrut, Director, North and East India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal of the TAT, told the FE recently in Dhaka.

She also attributed the growth of Bangladeshis visit to Thailand to the ‘friendly Thai people’ and convenient travelling such as Thai Airways fly to Bangkok every day, and it takes only 2.30 hours.

Bangladeshis went to Thailand for the different medical treatments including comprehensive check-up (popular), ob-gynecology, gastroenterology, cardiology and neurology. Ms Runjuan said.

In Dhaka, there are many Thai hospital representatives or sales agents such as Bumrungrad hospital, she continued.

The TAT representative expected continuation of the growth of Bangladeshi medical tourists to Thailand at the rate of 10 per cent in the years coming.

When contacted, Mohammad Ehsanul Kabir (Bappi), deputy manager of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), told the FE Saturday that Bangladesh’s medical services is also better. However, there is a lack of confidence and trust on the medical services in our country.

Mr Kabir also saw bright future of medical tourism in Bangladesh; for that the country need to give attention to the sector to more increase the services and amplify the people’s confidence on the facilities.

Laying stress on taking effective initiatives from both the public and private sectors in this connection, he said there are huge opportunities of saving and earning foreign currency by developing the tourism sector.

Apart from the medical tourism, in the overall tourism sector about 72,897 Bangladeshis went Thailand in 22012, recording 11.89 per cent growth over the previous year. While the number of Bangladeshi tourists in Thailand was about 65,150 in 2011, 68,018 in 2010, 53,420 in 2009 and 46,682 in 2008.

The popular destinations for Bangladeshis to Thailand include Bangkok , Pattaya and Phuket, Ms Runjuan said, adding that the Bangladeshis tourists to Thailand are mostly family, meeting and incentive group (MICE), shopping and health tourism.

Beautiful beaches, colorful Bangkok, reasonable price for shopping, suitable country for all including men, family, kid and women attracted the people to visit Thailand, she added.

source: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com / The Financial Express / Home> Stock & Corporate /  by Mohammad Ali / Monday, March 18th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism

Welcoming medical tourism to Jamaica

Posted on March 17, 2013 | Comments Off on Welcoming medical tourism to Jamaica

IT is extremely heartwarming that Jamaica was considered for the development and operation of a medical tourism facility in St James. This ‘five-star’ facility by the American Global MD is welcoming news for Brand Jamaica. Medical tourism has the potential to improve Jamaica’s economy through the dynamism of such a combination of health care services and vacation; promoting health care services and a facility to attract tourists from around the world. It will enable persons to come to Jamaica to obtain health care in a leisurely setting. What a wonderful combination!

However, I am beseeching JAMPRO not to allow euphoria and anxiety for wanting investments to take over the negotiation process with the investor, as the big question is: What is the measurable and sustainable benefit for Jamaica?

Some suggestions are:

(1) Include both the ministries of health and tourism in the planning process. This is an interesting and realistic way to obtain collaboration so as to move Jamaica forward.

(2) Ensure that the Jamaican people will be employed not only at the unskilled level but in the specialised areas of health care so as to provide employment for our nurses, dentists, medical practitioners and other trained medical specialists. This will also help in human capacity retention and curtail the migration issue among our trained and specialised populace.

(3) Bargain for future collaboration with our universities to provide training in specialised areas of plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery and the other areas that the facility will be specialising in. This will assist in the development of these educational institutions and also in building human capacity.

(4) Get in-depth information regarding health insurance providers of the target market and their willingness to pay for overseas health care costs. This will provide some level of certainty as to the number of persons who will be able to afford this service as a personal cost.

(5) Discuss legal issues and how they will be managed. There are issues such as malpractice, costs and payments. How prepared will the facility be to handle them? Bear in mind that Brand Jamaica is also promoted through word-of-mouth publicity.

(6) Discuss access by Jamaicans. Can they also derive such health care, since the local hospitals are not always equipped to provide such services?

(7) Encourage therapeutic care such as visits to mineral baths and botanical gardens to establish linkages and increase the tourism reach.

Jamaica is attractive for such an investment — the location, the institutional framework and the superb tourism offering. Medical tourism is a viable niche market, as realised in countries such as Thailand and India. It will boost tourism and contribute tremendously to national growth and development, but let us not make the same mistake as done in the past with other investors … let us do it right this time, and we can do it right.

The next move, JAMPRO, is to broaden medical tourism to health tourism where some of our traditional herbs, vegetation and practices can be used for conventional health care in an institutionalised manner. Be on the lookout for investors. Our university students have done some interesting enquiry in this area… have dialogue with them.

gaunsmar@yahoo.com

source: http://www.JamaicaObeserver.com / Home> Columns / by Gaunette Sinclair-Maragh / Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Uncategorized