Asians make up bulk of the medical tourists, generate whopping Dh1.4B
dubai — A growing number of medical tourists are flocking to Dubai to seek a range of effective and cost-efficient treatments, from orthopedics to cosmetic surgery and dermatology to ophthalmology.
According to the latest report, more than 320,000 health travellers visited the emirate in 2016, with the sector generating a whopping Dh1.4 billion.
The report has further revealed that Asians made up the bulk of medical tourists last year at 37 per cent, followed by visitors from Arab and GCC states (31 per cent) and Europe (15 per cent), said Dr Jamil Ahmed, MD, Prime Healthcare Group.
He said that billions of dirhams more are expected to be generated in the coming years as the Dubai Government continues to beef up its efforts to meet its ambitious target of 500,000 medical tourists by 2020.
Besides Asia, the GCC, and Europe, the government is also working towards carving a niche in the West African market, where the combined annual spends on medical tourism of Nigeria and Ghana –— two of the biggest markets in Africa region — has already reached over $1 billion. There are at least 60,000 medical tourists from the two countries this year as per the estimates of an industry study.
Amid government projects and programmes aimed at building a strong presence in the regional and global medical travel industry, health facilities all over the world have begun to take notice of the emirate’s massive potentials.
“In addition, the availability of state-of-the-art medical equipment and skilled health professionals known for their commitment to quality, patient-focused health solutions have helped catapult the cosmopolitan city into one of the most important global markets today,” he said.
The range of specialties offered here are a major come on as well for many medical tourists who are in search for renowned and trustworthy doctors in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, general diagnostics, and neurosurgery, to cite a few.
A number of hospitals in Dubai are providing contemporary and, most importantly, minimally invasive procedures delivered using advanced equipment comparable to top global medical centres.
This further add to Dubai’s allure as one of the world’s medical tourism hubs on top of success stories from patients who attest to the emirate’s capability and readiness to address their unique needs, he added.
Strong government support is well in place to position the emirate as a globally recognised destination for health and wellness treatments, while collaborative efforts to promote medical tourism are continuously being established between public and private entities to achieve mutually-beneficial results.
“In the case of Prime Hospital, the hospital offers packages for an extensive range of treatments such as rhinoplasty, breast lift and reduction, face lift, tummy tuck, lipo suction, breast augmentation, gastric sleeve, and gastric bypass. These packages include accommodation, PAC or Physician Assistant Certified, doctor fees, operating room and anesthesia, routine lab tests, radiology, and medication and consumables,” he said.
Medical tourism in Dubai is expected to witness more significant growth in the coming years thanks to its excellent healthcare facilities, professional medical teams, and innovative health services.
The state-of-the-art medical equipment, skilled health professionals and patient-focused health solutions have helped catapult Dubai into one of the most important global markets today.” Jamil Ahmed, MD, Prime Healthcare Group