UAE sets sights on medical tourism industry (page 2 of 2)

Furthermore, the UAE government spends more than $2bn a year sending nationals overseas in order to receive medical treatment.

The UAE's medical care reputation was not helped by an incident earlier this year when a 27-year-old Emirati woman died after undergoing liposuction at a health clinic. Seven people, including a plastic surgeon and four nurses, face charges of malpractice in regard to the case.

Following the tragedy, the Ministry of Health enacted tougher measures against illegal clinics and uncertified doctors, particularly cosmetic surgeons, in a bid to regulate the health industry.

Stiff international competition

The UAE also faces challenges being the new kid on the block in a fierce market where other countries already have a well-established history of offering medical tourism.

Thailand, which received 1.2 million medical tourists in 2006, has gained a reputation for offering the best of both worlds - inexpensive plastic surgery combined with a five-star beach holiday.

Singapore, whose health system was ranked sixth in the world by the World Health Organisation in 2000, consistently earns high marks in international surveys of medical tourists. It is aiming to attract one million foreign patients a year by 2012.

India has also carved a niche as a world leader in medical tourism. Estimates of the value of medical tourism to India go as high as $2bn a year by 2012.

These countries have a huge competitive advantage compared to the UAE in terms of the price of medical care. For example, the average cost of heart by-pass surgery in the UAE is $44,000, compared to $18,500 in Singapore, $11,000 in Thailand, and $10,000 in India.

'There are so many issues relating to medical tourism, and because the area is developing so quickly it's becoming essential that hospitals, insurers and policy makers, work together closely to streamline processes to cater to this market,' said Sietske Meerloo, Marketing Manager at IIR Middle East, which will be hosting an event in Dubai in November exploring medical tourism issues.

See also:
Middle East tourism to soar despite global economic gloom