Public-private partnerships are needed for Africa to get its fair share of the global health wallet, which is estimated at $35-55 million annually, and expected to grow to $140 million in the next five years.
This was one of the insights shared at the first Pan-African Health Tourism Congress (PAHTC), held earlier this month in KwaZulu Natal.
In particular, governments’ role as facilitator and enabler, as opposed to an entrepreneur, leaving the private sector as the investor and doer, was reiterated at the congress. According to Dr. Grootboom Mzukisi, Chairperson of the South African Medical Association, who also sits on the global committee of medical ethics, health tourism can create between 500 000 and a million jobs nationally.
Africa is currently the continent with the lowest medical tourism arrivals, with fewer than 4 000 annual arrivals from Europe.
Africans are travelling to countries such as India for surgery and healthcare, which can provide savings of 65-90%. India is estimated to get $3 million from African health tourists per annum with a market share of 34% of African health tourism consumers.
Of the African countries, South Africa gets the lion’s share of medical tourism. South Africa’s medical tourism from Africa currently stems from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, Angola, DRC, Zambia and Malawi, in descending order. Africa’s future growth is projected at 7% of the total health wallet, according to speaker, Gillian Saunders, Deputy CEO of Grant Thornton.
One of the main reasons people travel outside their country for health tourism is affordability. Others include accessibility, which allows earlier treatment for travellers from countries where there are long waiting lists; availability of resources, such as high-tech equipment; lack of healthcare insurance (uninsured patients can have procedures in countries such as India, where it’s often much cheaper than at home); and citizens not trusting the quality of healthcare services in their country.
GM of Marketing and Events for Ugu South Coast Tourism, Kay Robertson, said: “Affordability and quality of the South Coast’s healthcare services, existing medical infrastructure and upgrades currently under way, popularity and choice of retirement villages and lifestyle factors, healthy living and wellness retail and activities, and generally being a great destination for health and recuperation with oxygen-rich air and a lush environment that inspires the body, mind and soul, are considered as important as healthcare treatments and therapies.”
