Substantial number of Omanis continue to prefer healthcare abroad: Expert

12/6/2015 2:35:25 AM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat-

A substantial number of Omanis prefer seeking treatment abroad and that India is the most chosen destination because of its quality healthcare facilities according to an expert.

Syed Iqbal Ahmed medical consultant World Vision International (UK Saudi Arabia Bahrain and Oman) who was a speaker at the recently-held International India Medical Tourism Congress (IIMTC) in India's capital New Delhi also pointed out that medical costs abroad are lower than that in GCC. 'With well-equipped clinics and hospitals medical care has proved to be one of the most popular forms of tourism to India' Ahmed told Muscat Daily.

'Forty three per cent of Omanis and Qataris prefer to seek healthcare abroad as compared to 65 per cent Kuwaitis 47 per cent Bahrainis 39 per cent Emiratis and 35 per cent Saudis surveyed. Hospitals abroad provide immediate attention to patients rather than asking them to wait for several months' he said.

According to statistics provided by Ahmed 23 per cent of Omanis have personal physicians abroad whom they see regularly. Similarly 34 per cent of Qataris 16 per cent of Kuwaitis 25 per cent of Emiratis and 38 per cent of Saudis have doctors abroad from whom they seek medical advice.

The IIMTC held last month served as a platform for key stakeholders in the medical tourism industry including government authorities to share knowledge and develop networks to develop the medical tourism industry as a whole.

It witnessed a consortium of highly-skilled healthcare providers policy makers government regulators doctors and others representing 500 delegates from more than 40 countries. 'This year we took our idea of uplifting the medical tourism and medical technology industry to the next level by organising a power-packed event' Dr H N Garg chairman of IIMTC told Muscat Daily.

Dr Garg said that IIMTC is the only medical tourism conference to have hosted an event of this scale. The meet also focused on globalisation of healthcare ethics in serving medical travellers and meeting their expectations patient privacy laws in India among others.

In his speech Gen (retd) V K Singh India's Minister of State for External Affairs said 'It should be globalisation of health with no borders. People should feel the whole universe is their home and especially feel at home when they come to India for medical treatment. As we in India say Vasudeva Kutumbakam which means the world is my family.'

Patient privacy laws in India and the contribution of the country's legal framework for growth of medical tourism was highlighted by Shailendra Singh

senior advocate from Supreme Court of India. Dr Uma Nambiar advisor to Djibouti's minister of health emphasised on the role of medical facilitators during the Middle East regional summit which was part of IIMTC. 'This would eliminate middlemen and value added services can be provided by facilitators themselves.'

She stressed on the need to bring medical tourism under one ministry saying 'As of now it is a bit of all - Ministry of Health Ministry of Tourism Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance.'

Other guests at IIMTC were Dr Kassim Issac Osman Minister of Health Djibouti Sherene Azura Azli CEO of the Malaysia Health Travel Council and Laila al Jassmi founder and CEO of Health Beyond Borders Dubai.

Dr Prem Zigyasi global influencer and speaker on global medical tourism was also present.

The next edition of IIMTC will be held in Hyderabad in May 2016.

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