Hospitals in Dubai are seeking help from external agencies to attract medical tourists as the strong dirham deters overseas patients. The number of British medical tourists fell by 10% in 2016 at the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital (AACSH).
Hospitals in Dubai are seeking help from external agencies to bring more medical tourism business into the emirate as the strong dirham deters overseas patients.
Hospitals are linking up with medical tourism agencies in a bid to drum up more business. With more hospitals and clinics opening, they are also now competing with each for business.
The number of British medical tourists fell by 10% in 2016 at the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital (AACSH), an effect of the weakened pound following the UK’s decision in June to leave the European Union.
Jeehan Abdul Qadir of AACSH says, “We are in the process of finalising agreements with several agencies that engage in referring specific reconstructive cases as well as cosmetic cases.”
Despite a healthcare privatisation push in Saudi Arabia to stem the flow of nationals seeking health services in other countries, their numbers increased by nearly 5% in 2016 at AACSH.
The four hospitals and IVF centre run by Aster DM Healthcare, reported fewer UK medical tourists, but expect to fill the gap with medical tourists from African countries. Navin Pascal at Aster DM Healthcare Group explains: “We are tying up with agencies and are also optimistic with our plans for African countries.”
Healthcare operators in Dubai expect 2017 to be challenging because of currency fluctuations in Africa and Asia against the US dollar, and an increasing reluctance among governments and corporates to outsource health care overseas.
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