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Medical Tourism?

News: Can Africa reverse Medical Tourism? Discussions at 18th Akwaaba Travel Market to address the issue

The 18th Akwaaba African Travel Market taking place in Lagos from the 31st of October 2022 to the 1st of November will be discussing the issue of Medical Tourism in Africa.

Top experts from Turkey, Nigeria, India and the Philippines will be discussing the growth of Medical Tourism in Africa.

This is according to the Organisers of the event.

Akwaaba 2022 is in Partnership with Turquaz Health Organisation, Turkiye, Wakanow Travel Company, Lagos State Tourism, NIHOTOUR, and the Nigerian Council of Art and Culture NCAC.

Medical Tourism has always been popular among the Rich and Powerful in Africa. Late Presidents Umaru Yar’adua and the Current President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari have been known to have spent long periods abroad for Medical Treatment. Late President Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Some current African Presidents are regular visitors to foreign hospitals.

But the new trend is for even the lower middle class to opt for medical treatment abroad. Africa in spite of its growing number of medical facilities and institutions is still spending millions of dollars on medical treatment abroad. Angola, Congo DRC, and Ethiopia are increasingly joining the big medical tourism source countries.

Africans spent around $9 billion USD in 2021 receiving medical treatment abroad.
Sub-Saharan African medical travellers are the largest contributors to the Indian medical tourism industry. Nigeria alone spent about $1.5 billion of that amount.

The main destinations for medical tourists from Africa are USA, Canada, UK, and Australia (32%), whereas popular low and medium-income destinations are India, Thailand and Singapore (47%). Within the African continent, the top 5 countries with outbound medical travel are South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, Mauritius and Nigeria.

Nigerian health tourists spent over $1.2 billion in 2020 preferring Germany, South Africa, Israel, Thailand and mostly India.

According to the Nigeria National Association of Physicians (NARD) 2020 Report, on average about 4000 Nigerians a month who go to India for health care spending about 600 million US dollars.

According to a report by 5bestthings.com Morocco, South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, and Kenya are the Top 5 Medical Tourism Destinations in Africa.

In another report by atw.connect, a research conducted by Wesgro, shows that South Africa already falls into the top 10 destinations for medical tourism, with Cape Town being the leading city in Africa for travellers seeking medical care.

Ghana also is positioning itself as the next medical tourism destination for Africans, with the ongoing development of the Eco Medical Village, a modern medical facility – and the largest healthcare project in West Africa.”

Nigeria recently launched some Top Quality medical facilities in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt are receiving great reviews.

Countries outside Africa are positioning themselves to receive more Africans seeking Expert Medical Care. Turkiye is one of those Countries with improved medical facilities and the capacity to serve a lot of medical tourists from all over the World. It is already very popular among the Middle East and European Markets and 18th Akwaaba will be one of their major outings in Africa.

Akwaaba Africa Travel Market was included in the scope of support to the participating companies by the Ministry of Commerce of the Republic of Turkey.

The 18th AKWAABA will be held with the participation of Turkish companies for the first time as it has been included in the list of State-Supported Fairs by the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey.

The African Travel Market joins a select group of Travel Expos supported by the Government of Turkey.

Akwaaba is represented in Turkey by its Partner Turquaz Health Organisation.
Earlier in the year Akwaaba African Travel Market signed an agreement with Turquaz as its exclusive partner in Turkey for Medical Tourism.

Organisers of the biggest Travel and Tourism Expo in West Africa have decided to give a lot of attention to Medical Tourism and Health Insurance at the 2022 edition of the event. This is because of the increasing importance of Medical Tourism in Africa.

Turkiye is fast becoming the most popular destination for Medical Tourism with its top-grade facilities and World class care system.

The Turkish Hospitals and professionals will be joining hospitals from UAE, India, and other Asian countries at the first major Medical Tourism event in Nigeria at the 18th Akwaaba.

African and Nigerian Health Management Organisations and Specialists Hospitals are expected to join them for this event. These African Hospitals will interact and learn from these International players on how they can scale their operations to attract both domestic and international medical tourists.

The event is billed to hold at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotels & Suites from 31st October to the 1st of November, 2022.

Akwaaba African Travel Market is in its 18th year and has grown over the years into the most important platform for marketing travel and tourism in West Africa and among the Top 5 events in Africa drawing attendance from over 20 Countries.

Over 3000 visitors are expected at this year’s event from all over Africa.