A British photographer Martin Parr says Tourism is the biggest industry in the world. The global medical tourism market size is estimated to reach 54.4 billion USD in 2020.
Medical tourism refers to traveling abroad for seeking healthcare. People have traveled from developing countries to developed regions and vice versa as per their individual interests.
Pakistan produces 4.8% of international medical graduate doctors in the US which is the fourth-highest score on the list.
In addition to it, medical tourism in Pakistan in General and the Aesthetic Industry of Pakistan in particular has helped our nation to bring a lot of foreign reserves. As an example just take a look at Hair Transplantation. As many as 197,756 foreigners visited Pakistan for Hair Transplantation making it second in the world after Turkey And within Pakistan, Hair Transplantation in Peshawar is deemed as outranks all other cities.
Experts believe that Medical Tourism in Pakistan is emerging rapidly and can become a great source to attract a huge level of tourists. Medical tourism in Pakistan has its roots from 2006 when 2000 kidney transplants were performed of which 1500 were performed on foreign patients.
Besides medical professionalism and the expertise of our doctors, the competitive cost of our medical sector in comparison to the rest of the world makes it most sought after sport for opting major procedures.
Let’s take a look at a look at comparative price structure on some of the procedures done in Pakistan in contrast to the other parts of the world.
Comparative Medical Cost in Pakistan
The low cost of medical treatment is the most significant factor along with the high availability of medical professionals and a range of procedures that drive foreigners in Pakistan. Pakistan has produced satisfactory results in organ transplants, cosmetic surgeries, infertility treatments, and cardiac surgeries. The following table is an example of how Pakistan is providing medical services at the lowest cost.
| Treatment | USA | Pakistan |
| Heart Bypass | $40,000 | $1,800 |
| IVF | $12,000 | $1200 |
| Hair Transplant | $4,000 | $500 -$2000 |
| Dental Implants | $3,000 | $1500 |
| Liposuction | $6,000-10,000 | $1,000- $4,000 |
| Breast Implants | $12,000 | $3,500-6,000 |
| Cornea per eye | $13,000 | $1,600 |
Wondering How Medical Professionals and Medical Tourism in Pakistan is Helping the Country
Economic Boost
Revenue generated from tourists helps improve the economy of the country. It will produce a demand for more industries.
Local Employment
Medical tourism helps the growth of local businesses and encourages professionals to practice and serve in their own country.
Improved Healthcare System
With increased income flow from the health sector, the government will develop strong infrastructures to ensure international standards for healthcare.
Reputation of the country
Medical tourism promotes the welfare of a country as it strongly contributes to the tourism industry.
Opportunities and Challenges in Pakistan
Pakistan being a developing country needs to achieve many milestones to become a medical tourism hub. The main obstacle in the way is developing a strong medical infrastructure. There is a strong need for international standard hospitals and clinics. The other main obstacle is security. Unfortunately, Pakistan is suffering the consequences of terrorism in every industry. Although operations like Zarb-e-azb has successfully diminished extremism and terrorism, strong measures need to be taken to ensure the safety of potential clients.
Many small initiatives like certification of medical professionals, medical visa packages, and cultural hospitality will also encourage medical tourism in Pakistan
There is an ongoing international trend of cosmetic procedures. Pakistan has no doubt strong roots in the field of dermatology. Almost all aesthetic surgeries are done in Pakistan at competitive rates. With slight support from the government, Pakistan can become an ideal place for cosmetic surgeries.
Pakistan is a good place to attract medical tourism as the same quality of treatments is available at a very low cost if compared. This is the main factor in growing medical tourism in Pakistan. Small initiatives in the healthcare system can lead to a great impact on the economy of a country. It is expected that in the near future Pakistan will emerge as a center for cosmetic procedures.