At Forum, Participants Score FG Highly On Health Sector

Posted on July 14, 2013 | Comments Off on At Forum, Participants Score FG Highly On Health Sector

THE country’s teaching hospitals may soon become medical tourist centres to Africans in need of medical attention.

The Chairman University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Board, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose stated this in Ilorin, yesterday, during a one-day seminar on industrial harmony, and attended by stakeholders.

The theme for the event was: ‘Promoting Industrial Harmony in a Multi-disciplinary Organisation’.

Buoyed by the level of state-of-the-art equipment at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Anifowose said the Federal Government should be commended for its policy towards improving the health sector via procurement of more instruments and training of hospital personnel.

She said: “Looking at Nigeria’s health sector, one can’t say that one is absolutely satisfied. But the government is doing what is possible within its limited resources. For example, the UITH has, at present, some equipment I never thought could be possible to have.

“Besides, I can mention many teaching hospitals in Nigeria, today, that have the capacity to handle complex medical operations. I was a beneficiary, so I know what I am saying.

“Again, I am now surprised at the space of time with which medical personnel attend to their patients. So, I believe that people all over the world, especially those in Africa should now be coming to Nigeria for medical tourism.” .”

The board chairman, while speaking on the brain drain syndrome that had in the past negatively affected the health sector, said: “Availability of medical equipment is making them to return into the country.”

Speaking at the event, the Chief Medical Director, (CMD) of UITH, Prof. Abdulwaheed Olatinwo, said that the need to make staff more committed could not be divorced from motive for the seminar. .

He disclosed that leaders of all the existing units at UITH attended the seminar.

Olatinwo praised union leaders at the hospital for shunning local strike actions and participating at national strikes only when there were reasons for such.

The hospital boss said workers at the UITH remained members of a big family, adding that only a holistic attitude to work could lead to major breakthrough in the nation’s health sector.

Speakers at the event included the National Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Isa Aremu, and the Director General of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) Ilorin, Dr. Niyi Olanrewaju.

source: http://www,ngrguardiannews.com / The Guardian, Nigeria / Home> National / by Abiodun Fagbemi, Illorin / Saturday – July 06th, 2013

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

Fertility Tourism’s Popularity is Borne of Affordability and Availability

Posted on July 13, 2013 | Comments Off on Fertility Tourism’s Popularity is Borne of Affordability and Availability

Fertility tourism, sometimes referred to as reproductive tourism, is undertaken by people who travel to another country for fertility treatments, with one of the main reasons for doing so being affordability. For many couples in America, for instance, fertility treatments aren’t generally covered by their insurance plans. As a result, the expenses for such care must be paid out-of-pocket, and in the US, the costs can be extremely high. On average, one “cycle” of IVF, or in-vitro fertilization, costs about $15,000 USD whether the procedure results in a successful pregnancy or not.  Fertility clinics in a place like India perform the same procedure for $10-12,000 less.

The top destinations for fertility tourism span the globe, and they have become popular with couples looking for fertility treatments  for a variety of reasons. Spain has become somewhat of a fertility-tourism hub because of its high-quality clinics and availability of donor eggs, stemming from a policy that pays women a substantial amount of money for their donated eggs. This is attracting large numbers of couples from the UK where wait times for eggs or embryos can be anywhere form 18-24 months. Another leading location is the Czech Republic because of its advanced clinics and technology, and affordability.  IVF of In Vitro Fertilization (with donor egg, unlike when the egg and sperm of the couple seeking pregnancy is used) can run in excess of $30K in the US, but as little as $6500 in the Czech Republic.

And of course there is India , world-renowned not only for its affordable IVF, but its expertise in many other common treatments as well. The most popular procedures for fertility tourists besides IVF include artificial insemination (AI) , which introduces semen into the female vagina by means other than ejaculation; in-vitro maturation (IVM) , a process similar to IVF, but which collects eggs from the woman’s ovaries when they are still in an immature state in order to mature them in the lab before fertilization; embroyonic cryopreservation which involves preserving embryos at sub-zero temperatures for couples whose attempts at IVF may have failed, and who wish to try again without going through another full cycle of IVF; and there are various regimens of fertility drugs that are often more readily available and less expensive for Westerners if they head overseas.

Like all medical treatments , there are some risks associated to fertility treatments like adverse reactions to fertility drugs, increased likelihood of birth defects in children resulting from IVF, and the chances of having multiple births. With regards to the latter, many places have imposed legislation to restrict the number of embryos that can be inserted into the uterus. However, in some fertility tourism destinations, clinics are unregulated and there may be differing standards for care. Typically 1 or 2 embryos are inserted into a woman’s uterus, but in some places up to 4 or 5 are transferred in order to improve the chances of a successful pregnancy; but, this also increases the chances of multiple births and the associated complications.

As a type of medical tourism, fertility tourism is generally comprised of treatments that are mostly non-surgical and non-debilitating. Most procedures do not require a hospital stay, which typically means it is well-suited for the holiday aspect of  medical travel . Overall, when you factor in cost-savings, the quality of care received in countries abroad, and the compatibility of many of the treatments with an exotic vacation, it is understandable why fertility tourism has become so popular.

source: http://www.mymedholiday.com / Home> Medical Tourism Articles / June 27th, 2013

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Move to turn Phuket into Medical Hub

Posted on July 12, 2013 | Comments Off on Move to turn Phuket into Medical Hub

The Public Health Ministry is planning to launch a “One Province One Hospital” programme that aims to boost the quality of local hospitals and seeks to transform the island into a popular medical tourism destination, permanent secretary Narong Sahametha said.

On Friday, Narong led the signing of a memorandum of understanding between three public hospitals: Vachira Phuket Hospital, Patong Hospital and Thalang Hospital. These three institutions will collaborate and share resources with the purpose of improving overall quality under the motto of becoming “one hospital”.

He said the plan includes a rotation cycle between the three hospitals, under which nurses and doctors will assist or get involved in skill-training exercises at the other two hospitals every week. This will help strengthen the weaknesses in each hospital. They will also work under a resource-sharing policy, where equipment and medical facilities will be lent or borrowed when necessary.

Patients will be referred to one of the three hospitals depending on needs. At present, only Vachira Phuket Hospital has a Hyperbaric chamber, used to treat patients suffering from decompression sickness. But Vachira lacks an emergency unit unlike Patong or Thalang hospitals.

Though Phuket has established itself as a popular holiday destination, the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 will bring even more visitors. So, radical changes are being planned for the resort town, and the “One Province One Hospital” program is just a part of these.

source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com / The Nation, Thailand / Home> National / by Teerin Julsawad / July 10th, 2013

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

Latin America becoming prime destination for medical tourism

Posted on July 11, 2013 | Comments Off on Latin America becoming prime destination for medical tourism

The high cost of healthcare has created the lucrative phenomenon of medical tourism.

An IPK International survey revealed roughly 3 percent of the world’s population travels to foreign countries for medical treatment, while Patients Beyond Borders, which publishes international medical travel guidebooks, reported the medical tourism industry is a $40 billion a year business.

In the United States, the impetus behind medical traveling goes beyond saving a penny. For the Latino community especially, the attraction of traveling to Latin America is to not only spend less but also peace of mind dealing with Spanish-speaking doctors and quality facilities.

As for why people are seeking out Latin America, the answer is basically, why not? Procedures are much more affordable and with proper research, many quality facilities and accredited doctors can be found.

There is tubal ligation reversal surgery in Mexico, buttock implants in Costa Rica, chin and breast implants in Colombia, assisted fertility and gastric bypass in Argentina, and dental work in El Salvador. More so, people are also visiting Latin America for cancer treatments, cheap pharmaceuticals, diabetic care and rehab.

In fact, Patients Beyond Borders reports Mexico now attracts more than a million patients a year, many of whom are Hispanics from California, Arizona and Texas. It’s this proximity to North America that makes Latin America’s medical tourism so attractive. Other factors include favorable exchange rates, bilingual healthcare officials, friendly cultures, tropical climates and exotic locations allowing for relaxing and scenic recovery time.

Still, there are those who are fearful of traveling to a foreign country for a medical procedure. They often have misconceptions about third world standards of living, poverty, disease, violence and more. Something else that may keep them from experiencing medical tourism is the threat of malpractice without the U.S. legal system offering protection.

The truth is many healthcare providers in Latin America are internationally accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI). The doctors are bilingual, with many of them U.S. board certified or trained in the states. Some healthcare providers also have ties to stateside medical institutions.

Here’s a look at popular Latin American destinations for medical tourism, according to Healthbase:

Costa Rica offers services in various departments of medicine including orthopedics, bariatrics, ophthamology, dermatology, plastic surgery and dentistry. Savings can be as much as 70 percent or more.

Panama is Central America’s most industrialized country. Its medical tourism sector is growing rapidly with upwards of 50 percent in savings. Also, its use of the U.S. dollar as currency makes its friendly for Americans. Many doctors are bilingual and board certified.

Mexico is popular for dental and medical tourism due to cheap surgeries, which are not covered by American insurance companies. Also growing in Mexico is laser eye surgery, dermatology and cardiology with savings ranging from 30 to 70 percent.

Brazil and Colombia are among the most popular destinations for plastic surgery. With many accredited and awarded doctors, costs are usually cut in half, even adding the travel arrangements. In fact, according to Bloomberg News, Brazil is the sixth most popular destination for medical traveling, with more than 4,500 licensed cosmetic surgeons.

Looking ahead, Latin American countries hoping to expand medical traveling may follow the path of Costa Rica, where earlier this year the International Medical Travel and Business Summit was held.

“Costa Rica has become the premier destination for medical travel and tourism in the Western hemisphere,” said PROMED [The Council for the International Promotion of Costa Rica Medicine] Director Massimo Manzi, in a press release. “Our biggest challenge is educating the consumer. The Summit is a marvelous opportunity to highlight our medical providers and to showcase the incredible opportunities that exist by placing buyers and sellers of medical tourism together.”

Source: insidecostarica.com
source: http://www.eturbonews.com / eTN Global Travel Industry News / by Juergen Steinmetz / July 10th, 2013

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Mindoro mixes power, tourism

Posted on July 10, 2013 | Comments Off on Mindoro mixes power, tourism

Naujuan :

A Manila-based power firm, specializing in renewable energy projects, is paving the way for a village here to be a high-end spa, aiming to make Oriental Mindoro an international wellness hub.

Constellation Energy Corp. has a 20-megawatt geothermal power plant in Baranagay Montelago which hosts the Pugaro, Pungao, and Boloc-Boloc hot springs.

The sitios are frequented by local residents and visitors as a bathing place or spa for hydrotherapy using the mineral rich hot springs for treatment of their illnesses.

ConstellationEnergy officials led by Chairman Jose P. Leviste Jr. believe that power, tourism and health rejuvenation can mix.

“This is possible with renewable power energy. The relation of nature and people can be mutually beneficial,” he said.

The firm with partner companies, the Emerging Power Resources Holdings Inc. and IF Technology, a Dutch company, has started work on the Mindoro geothermal power project along with its hot spring and wellness center scheduled for commissioning in 2014.

Jolly Ting, head of the Manila-based business and professional group, The Association of Mindorenos, said “wellness tourism is good and appropriate especially for Montelago” and the province’s economic growth.

“Geothermal energy, I believe, is a good and clean energy. I think it’s a good idea, if we can give it a try. Baka yan ang mag-trigger ng tourism industry natin sa lake area. I think the general public of all ages will be benefitted,” said Ting, chairman of Calapan Water Corp.

Dr. Antonie de Wilde, EPRHI chief executive, said the Montelago hot spring and wellness resort will put Naujan in vacationers’ intinerary.

“One could develop a whole line of wellness and health products from the geothermal field and steam,” he said, citing the well-known Blue Lagoon Spa in Reykjavik, Iceland, where geothermal seawater—with its minerals, silica and algae—is tapped.

Other Oriental Mindoro officials commending the medical tourism plan are Puerto Galera Mayor Hubbert Dolor and former first district Rep. Rodolfo Valancia.

source: http://www.manilastandard.com / Manila Standard Today. com / Home / by Robert A. Evora / Manila – July 08th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism