RW - foRWard Health & Wellbeing eMag - June 25 - Flipbook - Page 54
INDIA
With worldclass surgeons and
specialty centres, India
a琀琀racts pa琀椀ents needing
high-end procedures like
cardiac bypasses and
organ transplants. The
price di昀昀erence is jawdropping – a heart bypass
in India can cost a tenth
of the price in the U.S.
In 2023 India saw over
6 million foreign pa琀椀ents
come for treatment,
including many from
neighbouring countries.
Advanced care (o昀琀en in
English) combined with
low prices makes India a
healthcare hub.
MEXICO
Just a short hop for
North Americans,
Mexico is the second
most popular medical
tourism des琀椀na琀椀on
globally. Border ci琀椀es
like Tijuana have become
healthcare hotbeds,
with shiny new clinics
and recovery resorts.
Americans 昀氀ock here for
dental work, bariatric
(weight-loss) surgery,
and fer琀椀lity treatments
at 40–60% savings on
major procedures. An
es琀椀mated one million
Americans per
year travel to
Mexico for care –
drawn by the proximity,
price, and rela琀椀vely
familiar culture.
TURKEY
Turkey has emerged as a
go-to spot for cosme琀椀c
procedures – especially
hair transplants and
plas琀椀c surgery. In fact,
about 1 million people
visited Turkey for hair
restora琀椀on in 2022,
spending roughly $2
billion. Istanbul’s clinics
o昀昀er package deals
(hotel + surgery) at a
frac琀椀on of Western
prices, making a new
smile or fuller head
of hair surprisingly
accessible. Turkey also
boasts strong healthcare
infrastructure and is
keen to be known as a
“health tourism” capital.
Risks and Downsides
Before you grab your
passport, it’s important
to weigh the poten琀椀al
disadvantages of medical
tourism. The biggest concern
is health and safety. Not all
overseas facili琀椀es are equal
– while some are excellent,
others may cut corners.
Standards and regula琀椀ons
vary. There’s a risk of
encountering poor quality
care, communica琀椀on barriers,
complica琀椀ons or infec琀椀ons,
especially if a clinic isn’t
properly accredited. Always
vet the creden琀椀als of the
doctors and the accredita琀椀on
of the hospital before you go.
Travel itself adds complexity.
Flying long distances a昀琀er
surgery can increase the
