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CEO Middle East looks at the UAE's drive to become the Gulf region's medical destination of choice.
The number of tourists visiting the UAE for medical procedures is set to rise, as the nation develops the infrastructure required for health tourism, according to the UAE Ministry of Health.
Globally, health tourism is estimated to be worth $50bn annually, with a range of developing nations spearheading a trend of offering cheap healthcare to foreign visitors.
Nasser Khalifa Al-Budoor, assistant undersecretary for International Relations and Health Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Health, said the UAE will soon start receiving medical tourists and their families for plastic surgeries, knee replacements or cardiovascular disease care.
Crackdown on illegal clinics
The health tourism announcement follows a crackdown earlier this year by the Ministry of Health on illegal clinics and uncertified doctors, particularly cosmetic surgeons, in a bid to regulate the health industry.
Dr Ali Al-Numairy, president of the Emirates Medical Association, told CEO Middle East he believed less than ten clinics have been shut down since the Ministry's reforms were introduced.
"Less than ten may not sound like much, but it is a lot given the short space of time. Over the past five or so years, a parallel market trading in illegal medical procedures has been operating in Dubai and the government is getting rid of this."
Al-Numairy said the parallel market involved illegal clinics operating without registration and certification or doctors performing cheap procedures in non-sterile locations including hotel rooms. "Often the results of these illegal procedures are often catastrophic," he said.
The ministry's tougher reforms included spot checks, with health inspectors authorised to issue warnings, fines, revoke licences and shut down facilities.
The move followed the death of a 27-year-old Emirati woman, who died after undergoing liposuction. Seven people, including a plastic surgeon and four nurses, are accused of malpractice regarding the case.
Al-Budoor said in the past the Middle East would "never have been considered a destination for medical tourists", but the situation in the UAE had completely changed.
"We have so many hospitals, with John Hopkins, Harvard, some of the biggest names in the world are here doing work. People would go to London for shopping with their families and receive a check up or undergo a small operation. "Now Dubai is ready for this. We have so much to offer now, with certified hospitals from international agencies," he said.
However, Al-Numairy said the UAE has been attracting medical tourists for years. "Health tourism is not a new idea. It has been a big part of Dubai's vision - that's why they developed the Healthcare City. Dubai has already become a hub for medical tourism throughout this region, as tourists come here for quality healthcare services."
Demand for healthcare is expected to surge by 240 percent over the next 20 years in the GCC, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE expected to record the greatest demand. Growth is expected to be sparked by dramatic increases in cardiovascular disease and diabetes-related ailments, according to global consultancy firm McKinsey.
Their survey said that by 2025 demand for hospital beds will more than double in the region, requiring almost 162,000 beds.
