With millions of dollars being spent on medical tourism around the globe, and particularly within the favoured top destinations, there is huge potential for South Africa – already popular in this respect – to increase its prospects even further, writes Nomqhele Dube in the Mail & Guardian.
Globally, medical tourism is worth an estimated $31.91bn (2023) and is forecast to grow to $52.87bn in 2027. Countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and India are among the top destinations, with the United Arab Emirates one of the fastest growing.
The Global Wellness Economy Monitor reported that $5.4bn was spent by wellness tourists within the UAE in 2022, up from $2.1bn in 2021.
Africa also has the potential to be a leading medical tourism hub because of its improving healthcare facilities, cost-effective treatments, well trained professionals, and diverse healthcare options, including traditional methods, according to Omnia Health.
The continent’s appeal is further enhanced by its cultural landscapes, allowing medical tourists to combine treatments with unique travel experiences.
Based on countries like South Africa, Kenya and Tunisia, Africa is gradually growing its medical tourism industry.
A health index by Numbeo (the world’s largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide), identified these countries as having the highest health indices in Africa at the start of 2024. (The Health Care Index is an estimation that evaluates the overall quality of the healthcare system, including factors such as healthcare professionals, equipment, staff, doctors and costs. It provides an assessment of healthcare infrastructure, services, and resources available within a specific location).
South Africa, in particular, is becoming an increasingly popular destination for medical treatments. Medical tourists mainly seek services related to cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, dental work, orthopaedics and cardiac care.
These services are often sought due to their relative affordability, compared with home country costs, more proficient expertise levels and better quality of care. According to Stats SA, 27 458 travellers arrived in this country for medical purposes between 2018 and 2023. Although the numbers declined due to the pandemic, they are steadily increasing.
Data for the five-year period indicate that most medical tourists came from SADC countries (19,403), followed by Europe (3 043), East and Central Africa (1 967), West Africa (1 142), North America (760), and Asia (621). The rest were made up of South and Central American countries, Australasia, and the Middle East.
The prominence of English as the primary language, along with favourable currency exchange rates, enhances the accessibility and affordability of medical care in South Africa.
According to an article by Business Insider Africa, a recent English Proficiency Index (EPI) published by EF Education First, ranked South Africa (ninth globally), Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda as the top-five best English-speaking countries in Africa, while the exchange rate also means medical treatments are generally cost-effective.
Medical tourism can significantly benefit the local public healthcare system by attracting more “cash-paying” customers and increasing hospital and facility footfall.
Adopting an open-minded approach is essential for rolling out such an initiative, as foreigners are currently seen as a burden rather than an opportunity for the country’s ailing public healthcare system. For example, countries like Thailand, India and Malaysia have leveraged medical tourism to enhance their healthcare infrastructure and generate revenue.
Thailand, for instance, has become a global hub for medical tourism, offering high-quality care at competitive prices (medical procedures in Thailand cost 20%-40% less than in Singapore). The additional market could enhance the viability of the public healthcare sector and generate more employment opportunities for general and specialised healthcare professionals within the country.
Officially, medical tourism is under-reported, particularly because many tourists from neighbouring SADC (such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi) and SACU (such as eSwatini, Botswana and Lesotho) countries visit South Africa as vacationers and also seek medical services during their stay.
These services include second opinion consultations, minor medical procedures such as mole removals, dental cleanings, and cataract surgeries, and prescription renewals for medications such as antihypertensives, diabetes management drugs, and asthma inhalers.
As a result, implementing a better data collection system is crucial to understanding the true size of this market and building both private and public healthcare capacity to treat this growing number of patients locally, similar to how India and Thailand have advanced their healthcare sectors.
South Africa can capitalise on the medical tourism sector by investing in and promoting its healthcare infrastructure, leveraging its cost-effective treatments, and enhancing its overall patient experience (foreign and domestic).
Establishing partnerships with international medical institutions and tourism agencies can create comprehensive packages that combine medical treatments with travel experiences.
For example, Apollo Hospitals Group in India partnered with travel agencies to provide medical tourism packages that include visa assistance, airport transfers, accommodation, and post-treatment travel options. They offer a range of treatments, from cardiac surgeries to cosmetic procedures, combined with cultural tours of cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
Additionally, marketing campaigns highlighting the country’s medical facilities, skilled healthcare professionals, and cultural attractions have also attracted a broader international audience for India and is a strategy that South Africa’s healthcare industry must consider for its own growth.
Nomqhele Dube is an analyst at Birguid (Strategic Research and Advisory Services)
Mail & Guardian article – Medical tourism has great prospects in South Africa (Restricted access)
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UK’s NHS making millions out of medical tourism
Health tourism by Africa’s leaders costs their countries dearly
Most of Africa’s leaders seek their medical treatment abroad