Medical tourism; Uganda's top health care destinations

By Gloria Nakajubi

A number of Ugandans regardless of social status considers treatment abroad as the only life-saving alternative either due to disappointments in the local system or referral from the experts.

Global trends as highlighted by the Joint Commission International (JCI) which is an international hospital accreditation body, indicate a growing trend in medical tourism with countries such as Costa Rica, India, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United States as top destinations.

As Paediatric Oncologist, Fadhil Geriga of the Uganda Cancer Institute explains, organisations, family and sometimes personal sponsorships are the major sources of financing for most of the referrals abroad.

Geriga notes that children are rarely referred abroad for treatment since most of the procedures can be carried out here.

Top global medical destinations

India

India is the leading destination for Ugandans seeking healthcare abroad which is ranked among one of the most trusted and excellent services.

The increasing numbers of patients seeking healthcare in India can also be attributed to efforts from such organisations like the Indian Association of Uganda that sponsors children on an annual basis to have surgery at some of the best hospitals in India for heart surgery.

Personalised nursing care and hospitality are said to be particular strengths of Indian medical care complemented with Yoga, Ayurveda and Meditation.

According to data from the Joint Commission International over 600 facilities in India are accredited by the body whereas others are accredited by the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO), the British Standards Institute, or are affiliated with healthcare organizations and insurance companies in the US and the West.

India boasts of state-of-the-art medical equipment, modern hospitals, board-certified surgeons and world-class standards of nursing services offering comprehensive, specialized spectrum of surgical and high-end medical procedures.

The country has several highly specialised hospitals dedicated to providing cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery (including knee and hip replacement surgery), organ transplant surgery (including liver, kidney), Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Neurology, Urology, Gynecology / Obstetrics / Surrogacy, Psychiatry, General Medicine and General Surgery, Cancer management, Cosmetic treatments, and Dental care.

According to ‘Patients beyond borders’ an online platform tracking medical tourism trends globally, the affordable and inexpensive costs of medical care services, approximately 30 % to 70 % lower than the costs in the United States, make Health Tourism to India highly appealing to an overseas patient.

Vastly skilled, experienced and trained doctors, physicians and surgeons, of international fame and repute, perform the most complicated surgeries and procedures.

Further, the doctors are supported by a strong, comprehensive and well trained paramedical force comprising of nurses, technicians, attendants, clinical co-coordinators, and nutritionists.

The amenities offered by hospitals are all state of the art, and the technological expertise utilized by the doctors is world class and latest. There is virtually zero wait time involved.

And to make it more appealing for Ugandans, the hospital staff in Indian hospitals speak English very easily and fluently, thus eradicating any communication gaps or slip-ups.

South Africa (SA)

MedicalTourism.com describes SA as a place to get sun, safari, and surgery. And as Cardiologist Omagino earlier highlighted, this provides a better alternative for patients that can not take the longer trips to India or Europe.

The cost of medical treatment in South Africa is also said to be more affordable and rated at less than 50% the price of a procedure in the US and yet offering world class services.

As records show, the first heart transplant was performed in Cape Town, South Africa in 1967, putting the country on the map as place for world-class medicine.

Ugandans also find South Africa more friendly and convenient since the country has English is its official language.

Popular procedures sought in South Africa are cosmetic, dental, eye, laser, and fertility treatments; however, hospitals offer a wide range of world-class procedures. Note that if you are unsure about a doctor or a hospital you can check with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

UAE (Dubai)

Apparently the most populous city in the UAE is not only a business hub for Ugandans but many more are flocking the city for medical care.

The JCI has accredited some of the city’s hospitals and clinics and heavy investment has been undertaken strategically to make Dubai one of the global medical tourist top destinations.

It has western standards of healthcare and facilities, and employs physician with western certification or equivalent and is continues to be a preferred destination for Ugandans due to its low cost of procedures and the fact that medical staff can speak English.

Located in the heart of the city, the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) that was launched in 2002 and continues to provide high level medical and research services.

DHCC is home to two hospitals, over 120 outpatient medical centers and diagnostic laboratories with over 4000 licensed professionals occupying 4.1 million square feet.

Dubai offers a number of first-class medical treatments ranging from cochlear implants, diabetes treatments, orthopedics, cardiology, oncology, obesity surgery, neurology, plastic & cosmetic surgery, physical therapy, dermatology, rheumatology, ophthalmology, lung treatments, and urology.

United States of America

As the top developed economy in the World, the United States provides a benchmark for many other countries for many sectors and for this case health care.

The United States medical systems performs millions of medical procedures every year for both its local population and international medical tourists who travel across seas in search of the very best treatment the world has to offer.

Excellent recovery accommodation and tourist attractions make a trip around the United States a pleasant experience with less congested medical institutions which helps reduce waiting time to less than zero.

Kenya

Kenya’s largest medical referral facilities such as Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi Hospital and Aga Khan Hospitals are among the top destinations in the region.

These facilities have placed Kenya high on the radar as far as quality medical care is concerned in East and Central Africa. Some of the most sought after services include cardiology, dermatology, dentistry, endoscopic, general and spinal surgery, obstetrics and gynecology.

Turkey

The country has about 51 of its hospitals accredited by JCI boasting of experienced physicians, state of the art medical equipment offering specialized health services. 

Most of the private facilities in Turkey have strong collaborations with international health centres like Johns Hopkins, Harvard Medical International, Mayo Clinic, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering among others.

Turkey offers specialized services in organ transplantation, Genetic testing, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology (the world's largest eye clinic network is located in Istanbul), Cardiology, Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery and Dental areas put Turkey forward in health tourism.

Procedure for referral

According to Dr John Omagino, a consultant cardiologist and director of the Uganda Heart Institute, patients are referred through the medical board where a detailed explanation on the referral is supposed to be submitted.

He says they do not just send out patients but rather work with the host institutions on the procedure, the rates and other technicalities to ensure that by the time the patient travels, they are ready for treatment.

The cardiologist further explains that sometimes they carry out the sub-stage procedures after a technical interaction with the host institution. This as enabled by the state of the art catheterisation laboratory at the institute.

He notes that they have a number of collaborating institutions especially in India, South Africa and Europe and therefore refer patients in regards to complexity of the condition, available funds and physical condition of the patient.

Omagino notes that most of their referrals are to India because of the affordability of procedures whereas for the highly complex procedures, they refer them to Europe and America.

He adds that for patients who are too weak to take the longer journeys, these are always referred to S.Africa which has direct flights.