Nigerians spend $8bn annually on Medical Tourism – Expert

Posted on November 21, 2012 | Comments Off on Nigerians spend $8bn annually on Medical Tourism – Expert

A Nigerian U.S-based cardiologist, Dr Kamar Adeleke, has said that influential Nigerians spend about $8 billion U.S. dollars annually on medical tourism.

Adeleke, who made this known in Ibadan on Tuesday, described as incredible the huge amount on foreign exchange being wasted on medical tourism by influential Nigerians.

He said that such funds should have been better deployed to the development of local health infrastructure and facilities.

Adeleke, who is the leader of a 50-member Free Health Mission from the U.S. to Ibadan, said his team was partnering with the Oyo State Government to further develop health infrastructure and facilities to boost healthcare delivery in the state.

“Most of the common ailments being diagnosed and treated by Free Health Mission included diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, fever, pneumonia, hernia, fibroid as well as varied degrees of eye problems.

“Our mission is also evaluating Oyo State Government’s health facilities to see what needs to be done to further help them and that is part of what we are doing.

“We are going to see how we can collaborate and upgrade the facilities by bringing more equipment.

“We will later bring more doctors, including ophthalmologists, dentists and general surgeons here for consulting services,” he said.

Adeleke, who is the Chief Cardiologist at St. Francis Hospital, Delaware, U.S.A., said the mission was invited at the instance of the wife of the state governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi.

He said that the team had brought about 50 cartons of various medicaments, notably multi-vitamins and anti-biotic for free distribution to patients.

While decrying the high rate at which influential Nigerians went abroad on medical tourism, Adeleke advised the government to create a conducive environment for local healthcare delivery.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, had told journalists that the five-day programme would be under-studied by the hospital’s management.

He said that the State Government was in the process of introducing a health insurance scheme.

“With the health insurance scheme, it means that anytime anybody falls sick, he goes to the hospital and does not need to pay anything. It will help our people greatly,” he said.

The commissioner commended the team for their contribution to humanity.

source: http://www.businessdailyonline.com / Home> Health & Fitness / Business Daily, Nigeria / Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others, Reports,Features, Statistics, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

Triumvirate of countries will lead Asian medical tourism market

Posted on November 20, 2012 | Comments Off on Triumvirate of countries will lead Asian medical tourism market

NOIDA, India, & ROSWELL, Ga., USA:

The increase in medical tourism in Asia will apparently only benefit certain countries in the region. According to a report released by India–US market intelligence provider Renub Research, over two thirds of the market for foreign medical and dental services will be controlled by India, Thailand and Singapore in the near future.

Overall, Renub estimates that the number of arrivals for medical and dental tourists will exceed ten million by 2015, which would be a 50 per cent increase from the present volume. Thailand, which currently sees the largest number of foreign medical tourists per year, is predicted to double its market volume within the next three years. The country currently holds the largest market share with 40 per cent.

It will be followed by Singapore, with an estimated one million arrivals per year and India with an expected half a million arrivals. Together, all three markets will hold a total share of 80 per cent while countries like South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan will compete for the remaining 20 per cent. Taiwan in particular is expected to be frequented by members of the Chinese middle class who can increasingly afford high-cost medical and dental treatment.

Other countries were not included in the report.

With rates of up to 30 per cent, medical tourism has been one of the fastest growing business sectors in the region owing primarily to the rising affluence of the middle class and a boom in the private health care sector. Recognising the potential, several countries have recently started initiatives to improve medical facilities and the workforce, as well as to attract more patients from abroad.

source: http://www.dental-tribune.com / Home> Asia Pacific  / by Dental Tribune Asia Pacific / November 16th, 2012

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Posted in Dental Tourism

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Recent Summit: Corporate Wellness Presents Opportunity for Small Business Spas

Posted on November 18, 2012

The recent Global Spa & Wellness Summit pointed out that the growth in corporate wellness programs could be a huge driver for increased profitability at small spas throughout the U.S. and world. Highlighting the increasing need and desire for such … Continue reading →

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Medical tourism on the move

Posted on November 16, 2012 | Comments Off on Medical tourism on the move

London, 16 November 2012:
Leading research firm, Research and Markets, released its latest report on medical tourism, Thursday, that covers the Middle East and the outlook for this business segment up to 2016.

The report can be purchased at http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/htgtbl/middle_east)

Identified as the “Middle East Medical Tourism Industry Outlook to 2016 – Advanced Medical Infrastructure Paving the Way for Future Growth” provides an analysis of the medical tourism industry in Middle East countries in terms of  medical tourist arrivals and revenue generated by medical tourist.

The research firm presented snippets of the report’s findings  that give insights about the competitive nature of medical tourism in the Middle East. The developments could seriously challenge hospitals in Southeast Asia that are sourcing a lucrative medical tourism business from this  region.

It shows that Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Iran attract the most medical tourists from within the Middle East region.

It also indicates that the UAE is trying to establish itself as a destination for medical tourism on an international scale

Jordan is the market leader in terms of medical tourist arrivals and medical tourism revenue in 2011 based mainly on its low-cost treatments. The easing of visa in some countries such as UAE and Jordan has attracted medical tourists within the region. The rise in  private hospitals in the region is also another factor in the growth of this segment.

Environmental factors such as political instability, civil wars and anti-west feelings within the region are the main negative factors that could curtail growth the report suggest. However, the outlook is positive with a projected 753,500 medical tourists who will generate revenue of US$2 billion by 2016.

Jordan is viewed as the leader in medical tourism serving visitors mainly from Iraq, Syria, Yemen. The country has 10 hospitals with JCI certification.

Turkey is positioned as the second largest country in terms of the medical tourist arrivals and also the second largest in terms of revenue generated through medical tourism growing at 6.8% per annum during the period 2006 to 2011.

Iran set up its first health tourism office in 2010. The health tourism office, in association with medical universities in Iran, is expected to boost the medical tourism industry in the country in the coming years.

Israel has positioned itself as a pioneer in the IVF treatments, cancer treatments and nuclear medicine. With rising number of medical tourists an upsurge in the number of government and private hospitals has been witnessed. There were more than 190 government hospitals in the country in 2010 with major hospitals located in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Herzliya. Its medical tourism revenue is expected to grow at 5.7% for the years 2012 to 2016.

UAE, Yemen, Kuwait and Syria are the main markets for hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of health of Saudi Arabia had proposed several plans to build a supervisory authority to control private healthcare facilities thereby promoting medical tourism through these initiatives.

The UAE is promoting medical tourism through the creation of the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC). The country has the highest number of JCI certified hospitals in the region. In the coming years UAE is expected to play a significant role in the medical tourism industry in the Middle East  the report states.

source: http://www.ttrweekly.com / Home> Middle East, News / by TTR Staff / November 16th, 2012

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Posted in Reports,Features, Statistics, Uncategorized

Robotic surgeries boost Bangalore’s medical tourism

Posted on November 12, 2012 | Comments Off on Robotic surgeries boost Bangalore’s medical tourism

Anjana, a 42-year-old woman diagnosed with tumour in her left kidney, was told by doctors that she needed to have it removed.

Since Anjana wanted to preserve her kidney and, at the same time, get rid of the tumour, she underwent a procedure called Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy (kidney preserving surgery) wherein only the tumour was excised, leaving her kidney intact.She stayed in the hospital for just three days and was able to return to her job within two weeks. Till recently, the treatment of such tumours involved complete removal of the kidney and the tumour. Not anymore, thanks to robot-assisted surgeries.

Surgeries like this have not only cured thousands of patients but also helped boost Bangalore’s
image as a leading medical tourism destination in the country.

Patients with such condition come to bangalore from the world over including the Middle East, Africa, Australia, The Netherlands, Denmark, Russia and Sri Lanka.

Robotic radiation, that was introduced three years ago in the city, contributes to about 20% of the medical tourists. And robotic surgery is boosting medi-tourism in Karnataka.

In fact, not just urology, most of gynaecological surgeries can be done with the help of robots.
Over the past one year, Manipal Hospital has got patients from Africa, Maldives and Sri Lanka enquiring about robotic surgery.

“The robot can be used in the removal of fibroids — myomectomy, removal of uterus, hysterectomy, re-canalisation of fallopian tubes in patients with blocked tubes or when sterilisation is to be reversed, endometriosis surgery and surgery for cervical and uterine cancers,” said Dr Gayathri Karthik, consultant, gynaecology and obstetrics, Manipal Hospital.

She feels the city’s medical image has got a boost thanks to the progress made in this field.
Take the case of Caroline (name changed) from Nigeria, who recently underwent surgery on her uterus, in the city, after being diagnosed with fibroid.

She was advised removal of her uterus, which she was not comfortable with since she wanted another baby. She had heard of robotic surgery and decided to make a trip to Bangalore to undergo the same.She underwent a robot assisted myomectomy by Dr Karthik where two fibroids were removed. She recovered well and left for Africa in 10 days.

Radiation with the help of robots (also called Cyberknife) is another specialisation that has gained popularity among Indian and foreign patients over the past couple of years. According to Dr Sridhar PS, consultant, radiation oncologist, Healthcare Global (HCG), robotic surgery is the future and the country so far has done well to gain expertise in this. “Earlier, we faced the problem where we did not achieve accurate radiation. So if there is a tumour in the lungs, radiation would affect the surrounding areas. However, now with the help of robotic radiation, there is little damage done to the surrounding areas,” he said. Robotic radiation also helps in reaching areas where it is not possible to operate through human hands, he added.

Hence, increasingly for doctors, robotic surgery is becoming an alternative to normal surgery, especially in cases where tumour in pancreas, prostate and lungs is involved. HCG has treated more than 1,000 patients in the past three-and-a-half years. Going by the demand of robotic surgery, other city-based hospitals are also planning to procure this advanced technology.

For instance, BGS Global Hospitals plan to introduce the technology in their hospital shortly.
“The technology of robotic surgery is advancing and soon we are likely to have second generation robotic equipment,” said Dr NK Venkataramana, vice-chairman and chief neurosurgeon, BGS Global Hospitals. “Surgeons are resorting to more and more minimally invasive surgeries wherever possible. The advantages of this technology are minimal damage to tissue and less invasiveness, lesser hospital stay, speedy ambulation of the patient, less pain and cosmetically aesthetic with a smaller scar. Robotics will definitely help to achieve these goals with much more precision,” he said.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com  / Daily News & Analysis / Home> Bangalore> Report / by  Soumita Majumdar & Suparna Goswami Bhattachary / Place:Bangalore, Agency:DNA / Monday, November 12th, 2012

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