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medical tourisom sri lanka

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Fekade Tadesse

The document discusses the growing demand for medical tourism among Ethiopians as local healthcare is limited, with many traveling to countries like India, Thailand, and Dubai for treatments. It then provides information on Sri Lanka as an alternative destination, highlighting the quality and accreditation of its hospitals, lower costs compared to places like the US, and ease of travel. Contact information is also included for the Sri Lankan consulate in Ethiopia to facilitate medical tourism to Sri Lanka.

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THE DEMAND FOR SRI LANKA AS A MEDICAL TOURISM DESTINATION FOR THE ETHIOPIAN PUBLIC A SCOPING STUDY PREPARED BY: FEKADE TADESSE THE HONORARY CONSULATE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 31, 2015
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia It is very common to hear a loud speaker on a minibus roaring through Addis Ababa with big posters of photos advertising medical treatments abroad. This is more evident around churches and mosques during holidays. Children, university students, youngsters, and many more are observed on major junctions advertising the services in places like Central Europe, India and Southeast Asian Medical tourism destinations for care. Nearly 95% of African citizens are traveling to countries like Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and India for the best in orthopedic, cardiac, pediatric an internal medicine care and services. The Ethiopian Medical Service The Ethiopian government provides free medical services to its citizens through the 100 hospitals and nearly 400 health centers scattered throughout the country. However, Ethiopians experience a low average life expectancy of less than 50 years. Even more shocking is the infant mortality rates that are high, prompting the middle class to seek health in foreign land instead of being treated in their own country. Medical Tourism Facilitators in Ethiopia The number of foreign hospital representatives in Addis Ababa is increasing significantly to address a growing demand of medical travel in the country. Five years ago, the number of foreign hospital representative offices had not been more than three. Now it has reached about eleven.
Bumrungrad International Hospital The Thailand based Bumrungrad International Hospital was among the pioneers in opening a representative office here in Addis, six years ago. Accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), a commission which was launched in 1999 after a growing demand to effectively evaluate quality and safety of medical services, the hospital gives many medical services which are not available here in Ethiopia i.e. (Cancer prevention, Orthopedic, neurology and Urology). For comprehensive checkup, without including travel and accommodation, customers have to pay USD 500 to USD 600 for the hospital. During the first three years when the representative office was operational, it was sending only 60 people a year on average for treatment as stated by the manager of Bumrungrad International Hospital office in Addis Ababa. However, in the last two years, the office has sent 1,082 people to Thailand. Rak Hospital The Rak Hospital, a Dubai based medical facility which was operational two years ago for the same purpose, has a represented office in Addis Ababa facilitating medical services. These offices also facilitate the travel plan for those who are referred from local hospitals and private doctors. Rak Hospital also gives medical services which are not currently available in Ethiopia like orthopedics, joint replacement, neurosurgery and spine, interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery. Based on their treatment history, people who go to Rak Hospital will pay an amount that ranges from USD 300 to USD 20,000 on average.
There are also Indian, Turkish, and Saudi Arabian and South African represented hospitals in Addis Ababa. Most of our customers are people who want to travel for general checkup and stay there for a little vacation says Mr. Getu, a facilitator for Bumrungrad International Hospital. The demand from both kinds of customers is growing Patients who are referred from the local hospitals to get treatment abroad as well as people who want to travel for checkup and vacation says Meron Bekele (PhD) manager of Rak Hospital in Addis Ababa. According to her, about 240 people travel to Dubai every year for such purposes through her office. The city of Dubai, according to Patients without Borders, a publisher of international medical travel guidebooks, now boasts 24 American-accredited JCI hospitals. (There are over 120 hospitals worldwide that are accredited through the JCI). Dubai receives over 400,000 international patients per year. To attract foreign patients, many countries are touting their medical technology, low prices and safety standards. At least ten countries now host medical tourism hubs. The primary destinations for Medical Tourism include countries such as Thailand, India, Singapore, and Malaysia. About 7 million people travel abroad each year seeking everything from dental work to weight loss surgery to cancer treatment. Researches show the Healthcare Travel industry is growing at 15 to 20 percent annually. In 2007 alone, 1.54 million people have traveled from around the world to Thailand for alternative Medicine, Cosmetic Surgery, Dental Care, Gender Realignment, Heart Surgery, Obesity Surgery, Oncology and Orthopedics. In Southeast Asia, the health sector is expanding rapidly, attributable to rapid growth of the private sector and notably, medical tourism, which is emerging as a lucrative business opportunity. Countries here are
capitalizing on their popularity as tourist destinations by combining high quality medical services at competitive prices with tourist packages. Some countries are establishing comparative advantages in service provision based on their health system organizational structure. Thailand has established a niche for cosmetic surgery and sex change operations, whilst Singapore is attracting patients at the high end of the market for advanced treatments like cardiovascular, neurological surgery and stem cell therapy. Ethiopians spent over 30 million dollars in medical treatment expenditure abroad, in the year 2012, according to the estimations by the Ministry of Health (MoH). A number of factors are attributed for the increment of international medical travels. The major reason is the health sector boost in these countries and the failure to provide quality service or affordable health care in the other countries. While economic benefits are central to medical tourism for the recipient countries, there are other factors in play. Most medical travels are for procedures that are not adequately available in the home-country. In countries where there is no widespread national healthcare, the lack of adequate health insurance or no health insurance at all, causes people to seek treatments abroad, according to researchers in the area. Though the exact figure for the number of travelers for such purpose is not identified, the (MoH) confirms the number is significantly growing. Ethiopia has 130 public and 70 private hospitals, according to Petros Kidane, acting director of medical services directorate at the MoH. Though it is very difficult to say that the country will soon retain its medical travelers for quality health care, there are some areas where the Ministry is resolving this issue he said. According to Mr. Kidane, some advanced medical equipment is supplied to hospitals currently in the form of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and City Scan. The Ministry is also encouraging the community and other foreign investors to engage in this service.
The Myungsung Medical Center (MCM), a Korean-run health center in Addis Ababa, is undertaking on a USD 9 million dollar expansion project to encourage Ethiopians to stay in the country for medical treatment, according to the manager. A growing number of Ethiopians travel overseas each year for treatment to the Middle East, Europe, South East Asia and South Africa. The average cost of each trip is estimated to be USD 20 thousand dollars. In 2011 alone, more than 6,000 Ethiopians visited the Thai capital, Bangkok, for the same purpose he said. One of the hopes to increase the medical services locally and to retain the foreign currency that the country is spending on medical travels is the Ethio-American Doctors who are on track to introduce International Standard Medical Centers in Ethiopia. It will feature 27 medical specialties that currently are not offered in Ethiopia like vascular surgery, urology, pulmonology, neuro-surgery and reproductive endocrinology, and it is expected to commence operation soon. In addition, the Tikur Anbessa General Specialized Hospital, under the Addis Ababa University (AAU), has plans to build an ultra-modern medical facility. The University is also teaching students in different sub specializations as well. This will help decrease the number of patients that travel abroad to seek care and will also give services to patients from neighboring countries like South Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti, says Ahmed Reja, Chief Executive director of The College of Health Science at AAU. As a diplomatic capital of the continent where many high profile diplomats reside, the city has to provide sophisticated medical services. He said in Ethiopia, there is only one qualified doctor for every 35,000 people and until now, there is no medical center accredited for the international standard. An expert who has been working in the medical service of the country for several years cites evidence that there is only one radiation service for 80 million people. Around 80 percent of
the patients die before their appointments for the treatment, he argues. He also recommends that the foreign hospitals have to be encouraged to open branch hospitals locally so that people can easily access the service and to fill the gap. Sri Lanka Medical Tourism According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the country ranks high on the best healthcare systems worldwide. There are dozens of accredited Sri Lanka hospitals in this relatively small island-country with an international reputation for efficiency and excellence. There must be some very good reasons for someone to travel nine thousand miles to seek medical treatment, besides the side benefit of being able to incorporate the treatment with an exotic vacation. There are other locations, just as exotic, offering competition to Sri Lankas medical tourism and many that are a lot closer to home. Here are just a few reasons to consider: There are currently nearly 20 ultra-modern, accredited hospitals in Sri Lanka, both public and private. There is an emphasis in Sri Lanka on medical services that incorporate high levels of trust, safety, efficiency and effective successful outcomes. Fees charged by hospitals in Sri Lanka are a fraction of those charged in the U.S. Sri Lanka is a country of international cultures where English is the main language of education and business. Most importantly, Sri Lanka is safe where the crime rate is low and security is high. The medical personnel are some of the most sophisticated and highly trained in the world, with many world-class physicians in practice there. Traveling for Sri Lanka Medical Tourism is easy because transportation is incredibly accessible and affordable. Tourists can use buses which are common in most towns and outside villages, taxis that are rarely metered and offer more comfort and security, or for a unique experience,
three wheeler taxis which are usually waiting outside hotels and tourist sites are available with eager and keen drivers willing to take you all over the city. With flights connecting to 180 cities of the world, the cost of a round trip flight, medical treatment and vacation costs are less than treatment alone in the U.S. Following are the three prestigious private hospitals in Sri Lanka. Please click on the name and you will be directed to the hospitals home page. Lanka Hospitals http://www.lankahospitals.org/ Nawaloka Hospitals http://www.nawaloka.com/ Asiri Hospitals http://www.asiri.lk/ Contact us: Honorary Consul of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Ethiopia P.O. Box 19531 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tel Addis Ababa: +251 937930860 Tel: USA +1-909-904-8148 www.slconsulateaddis.com

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medical tourisom sri lanka

  • 1. THE DEMAND FOR SRI LANKA AS A MEDICAL TOURISM DESTINATION FOR THE ETHIOPIAN PUBLIC A SCOPING STUDY PREPARED BY: FEKADE TADESSE THE HONORARY CONSULATE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 31, 2015
  • 2. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia It is very common to hear a loud speaker on a minibus roaring through Addis Ababa with big posters of photos advertising medical treatments abroad. This is more evident around churches and mosques during holidays. Children, university students, youngsters, and many more are observed on major junctions advertising the services in places like Central Europe, India and Southeast Asian Medical tourism destinations for care. Nearly 95% of African citizens are traveling to countries like Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and India for the best in orthopedic, cardiac, pediatric an internal medicine care and services. The Ethiopian Medical Service The Ethiopian government provides free medical services to its citizens through the 100 hospitals and nearly 400 health centers scattered throughout the country. However, Ethiopians experience a low average life expectancy of less than 50 years. Even more shocking is the infant mortality rates that are high, prompting the middle class to seek health in foreign land instead of being treated in their own country. Medical Tourism Facilitators in Ethiopia The number of foreign hospital representatives in Addis Ababa is increasing significantly to address a growing demand of medical travel in the country. Five years ago, the number of foreign hospital representative offices had not been more than three. Now it has reached about eleven.
  • 3. Bumrungrad International Hospital The Thailand based Bumrungrad International Hospital was among the pioneers in opening a representative office here in Addis, six years ago. Accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), a commission which was launched in 1999 after a growing demand to effectively evaluate quality and safety of medical services, the hospital gives many medical services which are not available here in Ethiopia i.e. (Cancer prevention, Orthopedic, neurology and Urology). For comprehensive checkup, without including travel and accommodation, customers have to pay USD 500 to USD 600 for the hospital. During the first three years when the representative office was operational, it was sending only 60 people a year on average for treatment as stated by the manager of Bumrungrad International Hospital office in Addis Ababa. However, in the last two years, the office has sent 1,082 people to Thailand. Rak Hospital The Rak Hospital, a Dubai based medical facility which was operational two years ago for the same purpose, has a represented office in Addis Ababa facilitating medical services. These offices also facilitate the travel plan for those who are referred from local hospitals and private doctors. Rak Hospital also gives medical services which are not currently available in Ethiopia like orthopedics, joint replacement, neurosurgery and spine, interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery. Based on their treatment history, people who go to Rak Hospital will pay an amount that ranges from USD 300 to USD 20,000 on average.
  • 4. There are also Indian, Turkish, and Saudi Arabian and South African represented hospitals in Addis Ababa. Most of our customers are people who want to travel for general checkup and stay there for a little vacation says Mr. Getu, a facilitator for Bumrungrad International Hospital. The demand from both kinds of customers is growing Patients who are referred from the local hospitals to get treatment abroad as well as people who want to travel for checkup and vacation says Meron Bekele (PhD) manager of Rak Hospital in Addis Ababa. According to her, about 240 people travel to Dubai every year for such purposes through her office. The city of Dubai, according to Patients without Borders, a publisher of international medical travel guidebooks, now boasts 24 American-accredited JCI hospitals. (There are over 120 hospitals worldwide that are accredited through the JCI). Dubai receives over 400,000 international patients per year. To attract foreign patients, many countries are touting their medical technology, low prices and safety standards. At least ten countries now host medical tourism hubs. The primary destinations for Medical Tourism include countries such as Thailand, India, Singapore, and Malaysia. About 7 million people travel abroad each year seeking everything from dental work to weight loss surgery to cancer treatment. Researches show the Healthcare Travel industry is growing at 15 to 20 percent annually. In 2007 alone, 1.54 million people have traveled from around the world to Thailand for alternative Medicine, Cosmetic Surgery, Dental Care, Gender Realignment, Heart Surgery, Obesity Surgery, Oncology and Orthopedics. In Southeast Asia, the health sector is expanding rapidly, attributable to rapid growth of the private sector and notably, medical tourism, which is emerging as a lucrative business opportunity. Countries here are
  • 5. capitalizing on their popularity as tourist destinations by combining high quality medical services at competitive prices with tourist packages. Some countries are establishing comparative advantages in service provision based on their health system organizational structure. Thailand has established a niche for cosmetic surgery and sex change operations, whilst Singapore is attracting patients at the high end of the market for advanced treatments like cardiovascular, neurological surgery and stem cell therapy. Ethiopians spent over 30 million dollars in medical treatment expenditure abroad, in the year 2012, according to the estimations by the Ministry of Health (MoH). A number of factors are attributed for the increment of international medical travels. The major reason is the health sector boost in these countries and the failure to provide quality service or affordable health care in the other countries. While economic benefits are central to medical tourism for the recipient countries, there are other factors in play. Most medical travels are for procedures that are not adequately available in the home-country. In countries where there is no widespread national healthcare, the lack of adequate health insurance or no health insurance at all, causes people to seek treatments abroad, according to researchers in the area. Though the exact figure for the number of travelers for such purpose is not identified, the (MoH) confirms the number is significantly growing. Ethiopia has 130 public and 70 private hospitals, according to Petros Kidane, acting director of medical services directorate at the MoH. Though it is very difficult to say that the country will soon retain its medical travelers for quality health care, there are some areas where the Ministry is resolving this issue he said. According to Mr. Kidane, some advanced medical equipment is supplied to hospitals currently in the form of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and City Scan. The Ministry is also encouraging the community and other foreign investors to engage in this service.
  • 6. The Myungsung Medical Center (MCM), a Korean-run health center in Addis Ababa, is undertaking on a USD 9 million dollar expansion project to encourage Ethiopians to stay in the country for medical treatment, according to the manager. A growing number of Ethiopians travel overseas each year for treatment to the Middle East, Europe, South East Asia and South Africa. The average cost of each trip is estimated to be USD 20 thousand dollars. In 2011 alone, more than 6,000 Ethiopians visited the Thai capital, Bangkok, for the same purpose he said. One of the hopes to increase the medical services locally and to retain the foreign currency that the country is spending on medical travels is the Ethio-American Doctors who are on track to introduce International Standard Medical Centers in Ethiopia. It will feature 27 medical specialties that currently are not offered in Ethiopia like vascular surgery, urology, pulmonology, neuro-surgery and reproductive endocrinology, and it is expected to commence operation soon. In addition, the Tikur Anbessa General Specialized Hospital, under the Addis Ababa University (AAU), has plans to build an ultra-modern medical facility. The University is also teaching students in different sub specializations as well. This will help decrease the number of patients that travel abroad to seek care and will also give services to patients from neighboring countries like South Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti, says Ahmed Reja, Chief Executive director of The College of Health Science at AAU. As a diplomatic capital of the continent where many high profile diplomats reside, the city has to provide sophisticated medical services. He said in Ethiopia, there is only one qualified doctor for every 35,000 people and until now, there is no medical center accredited for the international standard. An expert who has been working in the medical service of the country for several years cites evidence that there is only one radiation service for 80 million people. Around 80 percent of
  • 7. the patients die before their appointments for the treatment, he argues. He also recommends that the foreign hospitals have to be encouraged to open branch hospitals locally so that people can easily access the service and to fill the gap. Sri Lanka Medical Tourism According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the country ranks high on the best healthcare systems worldwide. There are dozens of accredited Sri Lanka hospitals in this relatively small island-country with an international reputation for efficiency and excellence. There must be some very good reasons for someone to travel nine thousand miles to seek medical treatment, besides the side benefit of being able to incorporate the treatment with an exotic vacation. There are other locations, just as exotic, offering competition to Sri Lankas medical tourism and many that are a lot closer to home. Here are just a few reasons to consider: There are currently nearly 20 ultra-modern, accredited hospitals in Sri Lanka, both public and private. There is an emphasis in Sri Lanka on medical services that incorporate high levels of trust, safety, efficiency and effective successful outcomes. Fees charged by hospitals in Sri Lanka are a fraction of those charged in the U.S. Sri Lanka is a country of international cultures where English is the main language of education and business. Most importantly, Sri Lanka is safe where the crime rate is low and security is high. The medical personnel are some of the most sophisticated and highly trained in the world, with many world-class physicians in practice there. Traveling for Sri Lanka Medical Tourism is easy because transportation is incredibly accessible and affordable. Tourists can use buses which are common in most towns and outside villages, taxis that are rarely metered and offer more comfort and security, or for a unique experience,
  • 8. three wheeler taxis which are usually waiting outside hotels and tourist sites are available with eager and keen drivers willing to take you all over the city. With flights connecting to 180 cities of the world, the cost of a round trip flight, medical treatment and vacation costs are less than treatment alone in the U.S. Following are the three prestigious private hospitals in Sri Lanka. Please click on the name and you will be directed to the hospitals home page. Lanka Hospitals http://www.lankahospitals.org/ Nawaloka Hospitals http://www.nawaloka.com/ Asiri Hospitals http://www.asiri.lk/ Contact us: Honorary Consul of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Ethiopia P.O. Box 19531 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tel Addis Ababa: +251 937930860 Tel: USA +1-909-904-8148 www.slconsulateaddis.com