Medical tourism packages on treatment in Dubai for residents and visitors will be launched in late October.
Dr Ramadan Ibrahim of Dubai Health Authority explains, "Medical tourism packages will be rolled out for tourists and residents alike in Dubai. We have collaborated with Emirates Holidays, Dubai Immigration, the Department of Tourism and other stakeholders to roll-out several medical tourism packages. For tourists the package will include hotel stay and flight tickets. For residents, it will offer discounted rates for certain medical services. The packages are comprehensive and convenient."
The packages will cover seven areas of treatment including dermatology, weight loss, dentistry, preventive health check-ups, cosmetic surgery, orthopaedics and ophthalmology.
Only packages for wellness and health-check-ups will be launched in October. These will range from basic checks to executive ones offering comprehensive health services. Packages for men and women will include specialist consultation, laboratory tests and other diagnostic tests. A women’s health package will include consultation with a gynaecologist, several investigations including but not limited to blood tests and breast cancer screening and mammogram.
There will also be a weight-loss package that includes consultation with a dietician and diet plans based on the person’s medical history. This package offers discounts ranging from 10 to 40 % at various health facilities in Dubai.
40 hospitals and clinics in Dubai have signed up to the packages and been designated as health tourism centres. Other hospitals and clinics will offer packages but are not health tourism centres.
Packages offered to Dubai residents will vary from those offered to medical tourists. For residents in the country, it depends on what package they choose, the insurance they have, and the amenities that they are willing to get treated at. If a patient chooses a facility not covered by their insurance provider, then they will not be able to use that particular package.
Packages are also being planned targeting different social groups and will be similar to airline bookings in that the earlier people book, the better deal they get.
Several packages are being negotiated and may or may not be ready to add to those at the October launch. Some packages are being negotiated with government hospitals, but if launched they are unlikely to be ready by October.
Packages aimed at medicals tourists are for short-term treatment only as two weeks is the maximum time any patient will be able to stay in Dubai for treatment. The initiative aims to attract tourism through short procedures only.
The packages are part of the first phase of a DHA initiative, which will run until 2016, and will see the launch of a dedicated portal for medical tourism. A second phase to 2020 will aim to further develop facilities and branding for Dubai medical tourism.