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Ethiopia bids to be an African medical tourism hub but its health system is struggling

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Samuel’s view

Room for Disagreement

ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia hopes to reinvent its biggest city as an African medical tourism hub with a new $400 million hospital complex set to open next year. But the plan for a major for-profit hospital in a country with a health system close to collapse is already being criticized.

The Roha Medical Campus, which is backed by U.S. investors, is being built close to Bole Airport in Addis Ababa, which is already one of Africa’s busiest air transit hubs thanks to Ethiopian Airlines which flies to around 60 African cities. The hope is that patients will stop in the city for medical services rather than flying on to the West, or countries such as Turkey, or India.

Africans spend more than $5 billion annually traveling outside the continent, according to Roha’s analysis of statistics from the World Bank and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Many people are seeking advanced medical treatment especially as noncommunicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, and hypertension rise across the continent. Ethiopians spend an estimated $500 million on medical tourism, according to an unpublished health ministry report seen by Semafor Africa.

Lia Tadesse, who stepped down as minister of health earlier this month, has been a key supporter of the project. She told Semafor Africa the government had “prioritized support” for projects like the new center as it could help reduce the need for Ethiopians to spend scarce foreign exchange on seeking medical treatment abroad and open up a new market for the country. “We subsequently expect it to attract many clients from the region and continent.” Support from the government has included the Addis Ababa city administration availing 28 hectares of land for its construction.

“The vision is to capture those heading elsewhere and afford them top quality and reliable medical services as well be a hub for neighboring nations who use Ethiopian Airlines to head to popular destinations for healthcare,” Welela Haileselassie, the general manager of Roha Medical Campus, told Semafor Africa.

Accessing adequate healthcare remains a major challenge for most of Ethiopia’s roughly 120 million citizens. Damage to medical buildings during conflicts over the last two years has added to pressure on the health system caused by a long-term shortage of hospitals and clinics in Africa’s second most populous country. And those facilities that have remained open often lack basic equipment and supplies.

The situation is exacerbated by a shortage in foreign currency reserves. Hospitals report being unable to purchase necessary medical imports due to a shortage of foreign currency like the US dollar. The forex scarcity has seen some unscrupulous entrepreneurs illegally importing and selling medicines at exorbitant prices and without adhering to regulatory standards.

These challenges lead middle class and wealthy Ethiopians to travel abroad for surgery, advanced tests, and specialized treatment. The new medical campus will have four centers of excellence in cardiology, nuclear medicine, oncology, and neuro-spinal services. It is expected to employ over 4,000 medical, administrative and ancillary staff, with over a quarter of the doctors initially being expatriate staff.

In Ethiopia, those without the financial capacity to migrate from the country have to rely on under-resourced public hospitals or go without proper medical care entirely.

A growing African middle class continues to head outside of the continent to seek medical assistance and this is what the new hospital hopes to benefit from within the region. Samson Berhan, an Addis Ababa based economic analyst, believes such investment in the local health sector is profoundly important. “In the long term, It will enable Ethiopia to develop the potential to become a medical tourism hub not only for its own citizens, but also for other East African nations struggling with similar shortages in healthcare resources and infrastructure,” he said.

While the government has not invested directly in this private hospital, one would hope that it has worked out some way that the new medical campus can contribute directly to Ethiopia’s health facility shortages, perhaps by offering some partially funded specialist treatment for example. Most Ethiopians will not be able to afford being treated in this new facility otherwise.

Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has been one of the regions most underserved by healthcare services in recent years. A hard-fought two-year war between rebels and the country’s army had devastating consequences for its hospitals and clinics. “The region’s health care system has collapsed,” said Dr Fasika Amdeslasie, a surgeon at Mekele University’s College of Health Sciences, a publicly owned institution.

“A majority of our people can’t even afford basic medicine let alone basic care. While such enterprise [Roha Medical Campus] is welcomed, I hope the government gives its urgency and priorities to the public sector more,” the surgeon told Semafor Africa.

Several health systems across the continent are buckling under the pressure of medically trained personnel trying to leave countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Semafor Africa looked at the various attempts by governments to stem the outflow of workers.

Ethiopia is hellbent on promising a tourist surge with its medical tourism project

Monday, February 26, 2024

Ethiopia, medical, tourism, healthcare, investment, innovation, africa

Tags: Ethiopia , healthcare , innovation , Investment , Medical , Tourism

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Ethiopia Implementing Strategic Policy to Become Medical Tourism Hub

Addis Ababa, March 9, 2024 (FBC) – Ethiopia has designed a 10-year strategic policy that enables the nation to become a medical tourism hub, according to Ministry of Health.

Following a panel discussion at the three-day Ethio Health Exhibition and Conference that opened yesterday, Ministry of Health Senior Advisor Esayas Mesele told ENA that the government has given priority to make Ethiopia a medical tourism center.

According to him, the policy and strategy has massive significance in encouraging the sector in general and for investors who want to engage in the area in particular.

For the senior advisor, investors who want to engage in the sector have a massive opportunity to bring their knowledge and experience to Ethiopia by using the government’s health infrastructure as well.

Ethiopians who travel abroad for medical services not provided in the country are subjected to high costs and exhaustion, he further elaborated.

The 10-year strategic policy of medical tourism development can reduce the number of citizens who travel abroad for medical services by 80 percent and attract others seeking medical support from the continent.

Highlighting that training experts and bringing new medical service technologies into the country as one of the priorities, he pointed out that implementing the policy and strategy will ensure quality and affordable medical services in Ethiopia.

The 8th Ethio Health Exhibition and Conference, the largest gathering of healthcare professionals in the East Africa region, kicked off yesterday at the Millennium Hall.

More than 90 companies from 12 countries are taking part in the exhibition and conference.

BRICS cooperation helps boosting multilateralism, advocating UN reforms: Ethiopian…

Ethiopia participating at Meeting of BRICS High-Ranking Officials in St. Petersburg

Ethiopian delegation attends BRICS Forum on Partnership on New Industrial Revolution…

Members of Ethiopian Diaspora celebrate New Year with various events

Medical Tourism in Ethiopia: Flying for your Life

Exactly 26 years ago a close relative of mine died from kidney failure. He was in his early sixties and had been in and out of hospitals due to chronic hypertension that had led to his premature retirement at the age of 50. Apparently, kidney damage and uncontrolled high blood pressure each contribute to the negative spiral of kidneys. Back then dialysis was not readily available locally. After a long and drawn-out process, the medical board’s approval for going out of the country came in too late to save his life.

This story is just one of the many other similar untold stories of tragic deaths causes by substandard diagnosis and inadequate medical care.

Indicators of social wellbeing such as healthcare grew medicately from their value three decades ago. A UNDP data of HDI (Human Development Indicators) bears out the hard truth. In Ethiopia health index measured by life expectancy at birth was 44 years in 1985 and 64 years in 2014 (Human Development Report UNDP, 2015). It is evident that life expectancy has not kept up with the growth in GDP. (See chart below)

On the other hand, figures on death caused by preventable infections are nothing short of surprising. The MOH (Ministry of Health) has moved in the right direction in response to this acute need by rolling out a project that is behind the opening of primary health care posts throughout the rural areas. However, these centers’ equipments are in disrepair, the staff are either incompetent or indifferent and basic medications are mostly out of stock. More often than not patients deteriorate to a point where these centers cannot provide any meaningful intervention. Compounded by poor road network, patients expire before reaching a bigger and better health centre.

Science and technology could come to the rescue of Ethiopians’ need for better and affordable healthcare. Some efforts like Hello Doctor and Doctor Alle are attempting to deliver consultations on issues that range from psychological to physical ailments. The services are provided by calling a four digit number and speaking with a specialist for a per-minute charge that is for the most part cheaper than a mini-bus taxi trip to see a doctor. Be reminded though that these over-the-phone consultations do not replace in-person doctor visits. They, however, save time and money by helping people identify which path of care to go down on.

Also prioritizing needs is crucial. Once again science and technology have a host of advanced analytics tools that enable the identification of areas which require more resources. For instance, data on hospital patients should be aggregated consistently across all hospitals in the country instead of bits and pieces of information gathered to support an ad-hoc policy prescription. A well-designed data framework and data warehouse unleashes the power of data. This is because patterns emerge indicating which intervention works best for particular clinical or public health cases. Other countries, particularly the UK and America, who can afford to be more wasteful with their resources than Ethiopia have harnessed medical data with tremendous success via integrated electronic health records.

Dissatisfied with local health care facilities, Ethiopians have always had to travel abroad to buy medical care. A study revealed that their choice of destination is heavily dependent on cost as well as the impression of past patients. Thus a pattern emerged where Thailand, India and recently USA and Dubai have won the largest share of the market.

There has never been a publicly available study on the efficacy of the treatments at these countries’ hospitals. Patients and family tend to pick the popular choice instead of shopping for the right center partly because the information is not easy to find. Some hospitals have opened offices in Addis and the regions serving as information hubs. These offices make travel arrangements too. With some treatments costing upwards of one million birr, the decision to spend such hefty sums is driven by the inelastic nature of the demand for healthcare.

An idea as grand as the Wollo Tertiary Care and Teaching Hospital was meant to fill the high-level healthcare gap of the country, in so doing stemming the outflow of medical tourists. But the project did not get off the ground allegedly because of financial constraints. Ambitious as it may sound, there was a casual mention of creating the capacity to make the center one of the favourite medical tourism destinations with Africans.

Getting medical care away from home is not without problems. Notwithstanding patients’ pre-departure struggle with raising funds to cover the cost of treatment they also face some other major hurdles that impact them adversely, potentially frustrating the medical intervention’s effectiveness. Most importantly results of diagnosis also known as medical reports often show an over/under emphasis of conditions. Here a combination of antiquated and/or miscalibrated equipments’ sensitivity to measurements and incompetent authors of reports such as lab technicians, radiologists etc are to blame. In the worst case, though, the receiving hospital’s diagnosis turn out completely different than the original report. The diagnosis might be more serious, and by extension, costlier than the original analysis on which treatment plans, quotations e.t.c were based.

Despite the stress patients and their family go through, medical tourism is a viable alternative. Bringing it into the purview the medical legislatures of the country works best. A starting point would be licensing agents. This act alone deters scammer hospitals and agents to do business, thereby preserving the well-being of the citizenry. It is not rare to see some patients ending up worse than they started out after obtaining treatment at a centre with substandard care. Another step involves incentivizing reputable international hospitals to come to Ethiopia and set up branches. Ultimately this solves the two critical issues with healthcare provision in the country. First, it injects competition at the level of both price and quality of care. Secondly it has the capacity to reduce the chronic exodus of high-caliber doctors and medical professionals via the creation of better employment conditions.

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Welcome to our medical consultancy and travel agency, where your health and wellness are our top priority. We specialize in providing personalized medical travel services, connecting patients with the best healthcare providers and facilities around the world.

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Our company, herms medical travel trading, is a private limited company located in bola africa avenue addis apartments fourth floor addis ababa ethiopia. the company provides medical consultation and travel guidance with the goal of providing our clients with a trustworthy, safe, and transparent service. our staff is made up of travel agents and health care specialists who have worked in the international health care system in bangkok, thailand for over 4 years., our mission, becoming a company which provide a safe reliable medical consultation by building a strong bridge between patients and leading health care providers.

Becoming one of the leading and trusted a hub for medical care and services in Africa the coming 5 years

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We offer personalized medical packages that contain all necessary treatments suited to your specific need. Our focus is to provide personalized service that exceeds your expectations.

Our competent medical personnel provide patients with trust and security overseas. They provide expert treatment recommendations, respond to enquiries, and provide post-treatment care advice.

For our patients' medical travel needs, we provide travel support. Airport transfers, flight and hotel reservations, local guides and translators, and other travel-related services are all included.

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We provide medical counselling, treatment planning, and access to medical professionals to patients seeking local and international medical care. Our professionals help with all element of the trip, from medical evaluation and treatment planning to travel arrangements and follow-up activities.

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If you are looking for low-cost, high-quality medical care! HERMS is your go-to medical tourism service in Ethiopia. Our professional staff will connect you with the top local and international hospitals and doctors at unbeatable pricing. Don't let outrageous prices keep you from receiving the medical care you need; contact HERMS today for a life-changing experience.

We are focusing on developing a continuous improvement culture in which everyone in the organisation is providing value to customers and stakeholders while minimising costs and maximising efficiency.

We achieved continuous growth through growing our knowledge and abilities, investigating new opportunities, creating relationships, implementing new technology, and investing in innovation.

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Medical Tourism

Effective marketing strategies for ethiopian medical tourism.

As the medical tourism industry continues to grow, healthcare providers are exploring new target markets to attract patients from specific countries. One such market with immense potential is Ethiopian medical tourism. In this article, we will delve into the unique aspects of the Ethiopian market, the market opportunity it presents, patient expectations, and effective marketing strategies to tap into this market.

Unique Aspects of the Ethiopian Market

The Ethiopian medical tourism market offers distinct characteristics that differentiate it from others. Ethiopia is a culturally rich country with a diverse population and a rapidly developing economy. The demand for high-quality healthcare services is increasing, driven by a rising middle class and a growing awareness of advanced medical treatments. Ethiopian patients seeking medical care abroad are often motivated by the desire for specialized treatments, access to cutting-edge technologies, and world-class healthcare services. Understanding these unique aspects is vital for healthcare providers aiming to attract Ethiopian medical tourists.

Market Opportunity

Ethiopia's large population of over 110 million people presents a significant market opportunity for healthcare providers. The demand for quality healthcare services in Ethiopia is on the rise, and many patients are currently traveling abroad for specialized procedures. By offering comprehensive and advanced treatments, healthcare providers in other countries can cater to the needs of Ethiopian medical tourists and capitalize on the market opportunity. Additionally, Ethiopia's rapidly expanding economy provides favorable conditions for healthcare providers to establish partnerships and attract patients.

Expectations of Ethiopian Patients

To successfully attract Ethiopian medical tourists, healthcare providers must understand and meet their specific expectations. Ethiopian patients seek access to internationally recognized medical expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and advanced technologies. They expect personalized care, clear communication, and empathy from healthcare providers. It is essential to accommodate Ethiopian cultural norms and values, as well as language preferences, to enhance the patient experience. Meeting these expectations is crucial for building trust and establishing long-term relationships with Ethiopian patients.

Accommodating Culture and Enhancing Patient Experience

Accommodating Ethiopian culture and delivering an exceptional patient experience are vital for successful marketing in Ethiopian medical tourism.

Cultural Accommodation

Ethiopian culture is diverse, with various ethnic groups and traditions. Healthcare providers should invest in cultural competency training for their staff to understand Ethiopian customs, traditions, and communication styles. Demonstrating respect for cultural norms and values builds trust and fosters positive patient-provider relationships. Employing Ethiopian staff members who can serve as cultural liaisons can also facilitate effective communication and provide personalized assistance to Ethiopian patients.

Enhancing the Patient Experience

Creating a positive and seamless patient experience is crucial for attracting and retaining Ethiopian medical tourists. This involves streamlining administrative processes, ensuring efficient appointment scheduling, and providing comprehensive information about treatments and procedures in a clear and culturally sensitive manner. Effective communication channels, including interpretation services if needed, help Ethiopian patients feel comfortable and valued throughout their healthcare journey.

Marketing Strategies to Tap into the Ethiopian Market

To tap into the Ethiopian medical tourism market effectively, healthcare providers should consider implementing the following marketing strategies:

Targeted Digital Marketing : Develop targeted digital marketing campaigns tailored specifically to Ethiopian patients. Utilize localized content, translated materials in local languages, and culturally relevant visuals to engage the Ethiopian audience. Leverage popular social media platforms and online channels to raise awareness about your services and build a strong online presence.
Partnerships and Referrals : Establish partnerships with Ethiopian healthcare institutions, medical associations, and local partners. Collaborate with local healthcare professionals and organizations to gain credibility and facilitate patient referrals. Building strong relationships within the Ethiopian medical community enhances your visibility and increases trust among Ethiopian patients.
Education and Awareness Programs : Conduct educational programs and workshops in Ethiopia to raise awareness about your healthcare services. Organize health-related seminars, webinars, and public talks to educate Ethiopian patients about advanced medical treatments and the benefits of seeking care abroad. Position yourself as a trusted source of information in the Ethiopian medical community.
Patient Testimonials and Success Stories : Share success stories and testimonials from Ethiopian patients who have received treatment at your facility. Positive testimonials from satisfied Ethiopian medical tourists serve as powerful marketing tools and encourage others to choose your services. Consider featuring these testimonials on your website, social media platforms, and marketing materials.

Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA) and Gap Analysis

Healthcare providers looking to enter the Ethiopian medical tourism market should strongly consider working with Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA). GHA specializes in providing accreditation, training, and gap analysis services to hospitals and healthcare organizations worldwide.

Collaborating with GHA enables healthcare providers to undergo a comprehensive Gap Analysis, which helps identify areas that require improvement to cater specifically to the needs and expectations of Ethiopian patients. GHA accreditation ensures that healthcare providers have met international standards for patient care and services. Ethiopian medical tourists are recommended to choose GHA-accredited healthcare providers because they have the cultural training and competency to deliver excellent patient experiences. GHA-accredited facilities are well-prepared to manage Ethiopian patients, ensuring a great patient experience that may result in positive testimonials shared with friends and family.

Having an accreditation like Global Healthcare Accreditation helps build trust with healthcare consumers. Trust is a critical factor that patients consider when selecting a hospital and country for medical care.

Medical Tourism Association and Global Healthcare Resources

To further optimize your efforts in penetrating the Ethiopian medical tourism market, consider collaborating with the Medical Tourism Association (MTA). The MTA is a leading organization in the medical tourism industry, providing valuable insights and resources to support medical tourism initiatives.

For expert guidance and support in market penetration, healthcarefacilitators, insurance companies, governments, and other stakeholders should contact Global Healthcare Resources . Global Healthcare Resources has extensive expertise in both B2C and B2B referrals, making them the go-to organization for market penetration in the medical tourism industry. With the largest network and audience of consumers and buyers globally, they work in every region of the world, including Ethiopia.

The Medical Tourism Association (MTA) has successfully launched initiatives in various locations, including Korea, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Washington DC, Florida, Miami, Las Vegas, Colombia, Costa Rica, and more. Collaborating with the MTA provides access to their vast resources, industry knowledge, and networking opportunities, further enhancing your presence in the Ethiopian medical tourism market.

In conclusion, the Ethiopian medical tourism market presents significant opportunities for healthcare providers. By understanding the unique aspects of the market, accommodating Ethiopian culture, and delivering exceptional patient experiences, healthcare providers can effectively tap into this market. Partnering with Global Healthcare Accreditation and leveraging their gap analysis and accreditation services ensures readiness to cater to Ethiopian patients' needs. Additionally, collaborating with the Medical Tourism Association and Global Healthcare Resources enhances your market penetration efforts. Embrace the potential of Ethiopian medical tourism and position yourself as a trusted destination for quality healthcare services.

Unveiling the Power of Social Media Marketing in Medical Tourism

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The Medical Tourism Magazine (MTM), known as the “voice” of the medical tourism industry, provides members and key industry experts with the opportunity to share important developments, initiatives, themes, topics and trends that make the medical tourism industry the booming market it is today.

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Ethiopian Medical Travel Package

In order to serve the growing medical travel market and to medically connect Africa to the rest of the world, Ethiopian Airlines has collaborated with hospitals to introduce a medical travel package to popular medical destinations worldwide.

Consequently, we have developed a comprehensive medical travel management program to coordinate a variety of medical travel services from basic medical consultations to full services treatments. The comprehensive management program brings together a consortium of qualified physicians/surgeons and medical facilities.

Our aim is to assist our clients to adopt a better quality of life utilizing our network of multi-disciplinary medical care centers & excellence of services from door to door.

The package includes medical service, air travel, and other ground handling services.

Specialties of Partner Hospitals:

Depending upon the case, we select the best Doctor & Hospital combination & accordingly we provide the best treatment cost from Partner hospital.

Paediatric Cardiology & Congenital Heart Disease
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Services Available for International Patients:

Customized Treatment Packages and medical opinions are offered prior to travel.
Discount tickets for Patient, Attendant/Donor, etc
Payment: Pay at your Home country at Local currency. Patient can avail USD Billing facility also. Payment can be made either through credit card or cash or wire transfer.
Local Staff assistance at your Home country to facilitate all requirements
Visa Assistance: Our team helps in arranging visa by providing a letter from the hospital to Indian High Commission in the patient’s country. This helps to obtain a medical visa not only for patients but also for accompanying attendants. Visa cost to be borne by the travellers.
Local Transport Arrangements (Airport pickup and drop): On Arrival Patient/ family will be received at the Arrival gate/Aero-Bridge by our staff with welcome placard in patient’s name.
Local assistance for Accommodation and Travel Arrangements: We will assist in arranging accommodation near hospital as per patient’s preference & budget.
During Hospitalization: Personalized Patent Care Executive will be a single point of contact throughout the entire stay in the hospital for all medical & non-medical assistance like registration, admission, discharge formalities, Sim card, mobile, hotel/guest house accommodation etc.
A dietician who will advise the patient throughout the stay and advise F&B to be served from the menu for the patient.
A comprehensive written medical report will be given before discharge from the hospital.
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Currency Exchange: Currency exchange facility is also available.
Statutory Requirement: Assisting Registration with the Police Commissioners Office (FRRO) within 14 days of arrival.
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Post-Discharge Consultation with the Physician if required after patient's return to his home by E mail/ telecalling (review of scans or X Rays, telephonic consultation, etc).
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Regular Follow-up after arrival to Home Country.

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Ethiopia Implementing Strategic Policy to Become Medical Tourism Hub - ENA English

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Ethiopia Implementing Strategic Policy to Become Medical Tourism Hub

Addis Ababa March 8/2024 (ENA) Ethiopia has designed a 10-year strategic policy that enables the nation to become a medical tourism hub, according to Ministry of Health.

According to him, the policy and strategy has massive significance in encouraging the sector in general and for investors who want to engage in the area in particular.

For the senior advisor, investors who want to engage in the sector have a massive opportunity to bring their knowledge and experience to Ethiopia by using the government's health infrastructure as well.

Ethiopians who travel abroad for medical services not provided in the country are subjected to high costs and exhaustion, he further elaborated.

The 8th Ethio Health Exhibition and Conference, the largest gathering of healthcare professionals in the East Africa region, kicked off yesterday at the Millennium Hall.

More than 90 companies from 12 countries are taking part in the exhibition and conference.

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Be aware of current health issues in Ethiopia. Learn how to protect yourself.

Level 2 Practice Enhanced Precautions

Updated Global Polio August 20, 2024 Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Destination List: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, including Zanzibar, The Gambia, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Level 1 Practice Usual Precautions

Updated Global Measles August 14, 2024 Many international destinations are reporting increased numbers of cases of measles. Destination List: Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zambia

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Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
Avoid contaminated water and soil
Avoid floodwater

Clinical Guidance

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Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.

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African tick-bite fever.

Avoid Bug Bites

African Tick-bite fever

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Tick bite
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Mosquito bite

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Sand fly bite
An infected pregnant woman can spread it to her unborn baby

Airborne & droplet

Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
Bite from an infected rodent
Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
Avoid rodents and areas where they live
Avoid sick people

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Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Ethiopia, so your behaviors are important.

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Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in Ethiopia. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone
Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in Ethiopia include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
Do not dive into shallow water.
Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection that can be spread in fresh water, is found in Ethiopia. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
Go to a doctor right away.
Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

Use latex condoms correctly.
Do not inject drugs.
Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call Ethiopia’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in Ethiopia. Fill your malaria prescription before you leave and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

Wear a seatbelt at all times.
Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of Ethiopia may be poor.
Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
If you choose to drive a vehicle in Ethiopia, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
Follow all local laws and social customs.
Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Ethiopia for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

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Open access
Published: 11 September 2024

Health checkup practice and its associated factors among adults in South Gondar zone Ethiopia

Gebrie Kassaw Yirga 1 ,
Berihun Bantie 1 ,
Endalk Getasew Hiruy 5 ,
Astewle Andargie Baye 1 ,
Gashaw Kerebeh 2 ,
Kirubel Shiferaw 4 &
Fentahun Diress Wassie 3

Scientific Reports volume 14 , Article number: 21237 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Health care
Risk factors

Non-communicable diseases are the current global burden including in sub-Saharan Africa, which increasing the incidence of cardiovascular disorders and their complications due to a lack of health checks and delayed treatments. To assess health checkup practice among adults in the South Gondar zone of northeast Ethiopia in 2022. A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed from July 30, 2022, to August 30, 2022. Three woredas (Debre Tabor, Guna Beyemidir, and Andabet) were selected by using a simple random sampling method from the south Gondar zone, and three kebeles were selected randomly from each woreda. A complete of 422 samples were selected by random sampling technique. Data were collected in a face-to-face interview using structured questionnaires. The collected data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 for analysis. Binary logistic regression was done to identify the association between each variable with the outcome variable. A variable that had a p-value < 0.25 in binary logistic regression became a candidate for multivariate logistic regression then after factors p value < 0.05 was considered as predictors to the outcome variable. In this study, health checkup practice was 40.2%. Living with families (AOR 3.36; 95% CI 1.47–7.66), presence chronic disease (AOR 2.52; 95% CI 1.49–4.26), No self-medication practice (AOR 5.39; 95% CI 3.06–9.49) and having health insurance (AOR 3.02; 95% CI 1.68–5.430) were significantly associated with regular health checkup practice. Health checkup practice was low as compared to health policy recommendations and its health maintenance value. Creating awareness about health check-ups and prevention of disease complications will be taken by different stakeholders in the health care system

Introduction

Medical check-up is the routine medical evaluation of healthy individuals to detect abnormalities. Regular checkups are necessary to detect problems like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and others 1 . It is a means of disease prevention that helps to promote health in the community and plays an essential role in health care 2 , 3 . Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD) accounted for almost 60% of global mortality, and 80% of deaths from NCD occurred in low- and middle-income countries 4 . Non-communicable diseases represent the current global burden including sub-Saharan Africa, which increasing the incidence of cardiovascular disorders 5 . Thus health checks showed any current disorder including risk factors for disease to early prevention of morbidity and mortality 6 , 7 .

WHO recommends each year, healthy women are invited for a comprehensive health check-up 8 . Routine health checkups became an annual medical care in the United States 9 . Medical checkups should be recommended to the elderly, taking into account not only their basic characteristics such as sex and occupation but also lifestyle, self-rated health status, and Activity of daily life, which are associated with medical checkup participation 10 . No communicable diseases contributed to 39.3% of the total deaths, 53% of the age-standardized death rate, and 34% of Disability-adjusted life years from all causes 11 . It is double the burden of infectious diseases which is predicted seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries 12 .

In Japan, the country's health policy recommends and provides free annual health check-ups to detect and prevent complications. This may be one factor that they have the longest life span in the world 13 .

Findings at the workplace showed that the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension was 50% in South Africa 14 . The national estimate of the prevalence of NCD risk factors showed high rates of raised blood pressure (16%), hyperglycemia (5.9%), hypercholesterolemia (5.6%), overweight (5.2%), and Obesity (1.2%) 15 . WHO revealed that 39% of the total deaths in Ethiopia were caused by NCD 16 . Routine physical checkups are essential for the whole population including childhood and adolescence 16 . Routine physical checkups are essential for the whole population including childhood and adolescence 17 . Even though Health professionals had enough awareness and a progressive approach toward routine health checkups practice was poor 18 .

A study conducted in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Referral Hospital, in Ethiopia showed that 80% of patients seen at the OPD with newly diagnosed diabetics presented with DKA, and most of them (56.4%) came late 19 . Additionally, the burden of undiagnosed hypertension was 21.2% in southwest Ethiopia among Adults in Urban Communities 20 . In a study conducted in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Referral Hospital, Adis Abeba in Ethiopia around 86.3% of the women had delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer 21 .

Screening and periodical medical examinations are two of the most important aspects of public health as they help to diagnose diseases at an early stage, even before showing any symptoms 22 . Routine medical check-up is essential to prevent disease and complication minimizes future hospitalization and related costs and improves health and quality of life 23 , 24 . Screening tests are important not only for early detection but also as a cost-effective measure from a public health perspective 25 .

Ethiopia has been reducing deaths related to communicable but minimal success with NCD which leading cause of premature mortality and morbidity 26 . Poor medical check-up practices may contribute to this premature mortality and morbidity in which diseases were diagnosed later after the advanced stage and complications even at the time of life ending. The current trend in patient disease management in Ethiopia is mainly focused on purely curative rather than integration with preventive medicine 27 . In Ethiopia, several studies were conducted on health-seeking behavior practice but studies were limited to health check-up practice. “ Preventive is more than curative ” So this study is intended to determine the practice and factors that affect health check-ups which is a disease preventive strategy.

Study design and period

A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed from July 30, 2022, to August 30, 2022.

The study was employed in the south Gondar zone which is found in the Amhara region Northwest, Ethiopia. South Gondar Zone is located in the Amhara region and its capital city Debre Tabor is 667 km Northwest of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, and 103 km to the southwest of Bahirdar. There are 21 Weredas and 401 kebeles with a total population.

Source population

The study includes all residents living in South Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia.

Study population

The study population comprises all adults aged 18 years and older residing in South Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia.

Study samples

The study includes all adults aged 18 years and older residing and directly involved in the study in South Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria.

The study includes all people above 18 years old who were living in south Gondar.

Exclusion criteria

People who were seriously ill and incapable of hearing and speaking at the time of data collection were excluded.

Dependent variable

Health check-up practice.

Operational definition

Health check-up.

Medical checkup is defined as one or more visits with a healthcare provider for the primary purpose of assessing individuals’ overall health status and risk factors to detect any a disease abnormality or without developing any sign and symptoms 28 .

Sample size

The sample size was calculated by using the single population proportion formula (n = [(Zα/2)2 × P (1 − P)]/D2), by assuming, that a prevalence of periodic medical checkups was 50% and 95% CI 1.96, the margin of error 5% and by considering 10% non-response rate, the final sample size was 422.

Sampling procedure

Three woredas (Debretabor, Guna Beyemidir, and Andabet) were selected by using a simple random sampling method from the south Gondar zone, and three kebeles were selected randomly from each selected Woredas. A total of 422 households were proportionally allocated to each sampled kebeles depending on the number of residents of the Kebele. Systematic sampling was used to select the study household and the respondents were one member of the household selected randomly.

Data collection tools and procedures

A structured questionnaire was used for data collection which was adapted from different related literature 3 , 23 , 26 . Data were collected in a face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire. A pretest was conducted to check the functionality of the tools other than the study area.

Data quality control and analysis

The questionnaire prepared in English was translated into the local language, Amharic, and then to ensure consistency, it was retranslated to English. A pre-test was conducted on 21 participants in non-selected Hospitals 2 weeks before the actual data collection. Training was given to data collectors on the content of data collection tools and ways of approaching the interviewee. Each participants were recruited and oriented about the study's immediate prior data collection.

Data processing and analysis procedure

After data collection, data were first checked and coded. Then collected data was entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were presented by using text, tables, and figures. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association factors. The outcome variable (health check-up practice) was categorized as having regular health check-ups practice and not having regular medical check-ups. Binary logistic regression was done to identify the association between each variable with the outcome variable. Then after, the Variable that had a p-value < 0.25 in binary logistic regression became a candidate for multivariate logistic regression. Homer and Lemeshow's test was checked for model goodness of fit. During the analyses, 0.05 p-value, and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used. Factors p value < 0.05 were considered as predictors of the outcome variable.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was carried out after a letter of approval was obtained from the ethical review committee of Debre Tabor University College of Medicine and Health Sciences accordingly declarations of Helsinki. A formal letter was provided to selected hospitals in south Gondar hospitals preceding data collection. Informed verbal consent was obtained from each participant’s anonymity.

Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants

A total of 410 participants were involved with a response rate of 97.2%. Age ranged from 19 to 74 years with a median age of 40 years. Of the total of participants 206 (50.2) were female. Of the total participants, 48.7% were urban residents (Table 1 ).

Health-related information

Medical checkup practice was 40.2% with 95% CI (35.4–44.6). Of the total study participants, 182 (44.4%) had chronic disease and 60% of the participants had community-based health insurance (Table 2 ).

Factors associated with medical checkup practice

In this study, check-ups people who had health insurance were more likely to practice routine check-ups than those who were not members of health insurance. Similarly, People who had chronic disease more practiced periodic medical checkups than those who had no chronic disease (Table 3 ).

Periodic medical checkups are essential to increase life expectancy and quality of life 30 , 31 . The purpose of this study was to determine health checkup practices in south Gondar North West Ethiopia. In this study, health checkup practice was 40.2% (35.4–44.6) which was in line with a study conducted in Nigeria with 39.4%. 30 . Whereas it was higher than a study conducted on Saudi students which was (25.5%) 32 . This difference may be due to time, material; methodology used, and study population. However, it was much lower than the nationwide figure in the United States (70%) 7 . The discrepancy may be the health care system development, access to resources and health facilities, attitude, and awareness of the community, and being a member of health insurance can increase this community to taking part in periodic health checkups.

In this study, people living with their families had better periodic medical checkup practices than those who lived alone. Similarly, research showed Social support is factors that facilitate the use of regular healthcare services 33 . Another study also revealed that most of the elderly who live alone develop self-coping mechanisms to meet their healthcare needs rather than seek formal medical consultation 34 . This may be due to the absence of any responsible body to support, remind, encourage, and take them to health facilities.

People who had chronic disease more practiced periodic medical checkups than those who had no chronic disease. Similarly study in Saudi found that people with chronic conditions were more likely to use routine checkups compared to those without chronic conditions 32 . Another study also showed routine medical checkup practice is not common and only enhanced if there is a presence of comorbidity 35 . The possible justification maybe people with chronic conditions may have good awareness about routine medical checkups, they are suspicious of developing complications and they have regular follow-up appointments.

The study also showed people who didn’t practice self-medication were more likely to practice routine checkups than those who had self-medication practice. Similarly, studies revealed self-medication practice influences health care-seeking because of behavior and early diagnosis of problems and appropriate treatments 36 , 37 . This may be because individuals who practice self-medication focus on self-treatment rather than seeking standardized medical treatment. This study also revealed that people who had health insurance were more likely to practice routine checkups than those who were not and members of health insurance. Studies revealed that health insurance motivates check-ups and the chances of going for medical check-ups 32 , 38 . Similarly, studies revealed that individuals with higher levels of health insurance were more likely to receive medical check-ups 39 . This may be because health insurance reduces health expenditures and increases access to healthcare services.

Limitations of the study

There is a potential limitation of on sampling technique in which a simple random sampling technique was employed instead of using multistage sampling without considering the variation of the study population due to funding constraints and financial scarcity. Also, there is the short duration of the study period due to the nature of the study design as a limitation.

Health checkup practice was low as compared to WHO and different countries' health sector health policy recommendations and its health maintenance value. Creating awareness about health check-ups, prevention of disease complications and the disadvantages of self-medication practice will be taken by different stakeholders in the healthcare system.

Data availability

The raw data generated in this study are not shared publicly due to confidentiality but will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Age-standard death rate

Disability-adjusted life years

Non-communicable disease

Out patient department

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank South Gondar zone and selected woreda’s officers for their valuable information.

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Gebrie Kassaw Yirga, Berihun Bantie & Astewle Andargie Baye

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Gashaw Kerebeh

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G.K. and B.B. participated in the conception, design of the study, and analysis of E.G.H., A.A., and K.S. interpretation of the data and drafting of the manuscript G.K. and F.D. participated in the analysis and revising of the manuscript critically.

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Yirga, G.K., Bantie, B., Hiruy, E. et al. Health checkup practice and its associated factors among adults in South Gondar zone Ethiopia. Sci Rep 14 , 21237 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69921-3

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Medical Tourism Is Having Its Moment. Here’s What To Know and How To Use Travel Rewards To Save More.

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Medical Tourism Is Having Its Moment. Here’s What To Know and How To Use Travel Rewards To Save More.

The pros of medical tourism, the cons of medical tourism, what to know before traveling for medical reasons, top destinations for medical tourism, how to use points and miles to save, final thoughts.

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Traveling somewhere to save money isn’t a new concept. Many people from my home state of Florida travel to the Bahamas for luxury goods like watches and jewelry to avoid sales taxes. Instead of a Rolex or Gucci purse, millions of Americans are heading to the airport for more affordable (and sometimes better) medical care, known as medical tourism .

A July 2024 TikTok post has gone viral with a young woman from Idaho flying to Istanbul, Türkiye, for a full body checkup, including scans, tests, and consultations. ¹ The hook of medical tourism for people like her is the combination of the quality of the care compared to what you would receive in the U.S., along with an astonishingly low price. The video has garnered over 16 million views and sent the term “medical tourism” soaring on Google Trends.

It’s trendy but not new. The practice of traveling goes back to the ancient Greeks, who developed medical centers that people traveled far distances to visit. People suffering from illness made the trek to healing temples, or asklepieia. Fast-forward to modern times, and medical tourism is as popular as ever. According to Statista, it’s expected to drive $47 billion in 2024 and grow to $111 billion by 2029. ²

Here are the pros and cons of taking your medical procedures outside the U.S., what you need to know before doing so, and how to save on travel costs by using points and miles.

The largest benefit of traveling outside the U.S. is the potential savings. In 2022, the average American spent over $13,000 in health care costs, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services .

It’s hard to estimate the cost of American health care, as much of it is predicated on the patient’s health insurance coverage and the provider. Outside of the U.S., it can be much more transparent but still varies by the provider. So, like any other purchase, you’re advised to do your research to find the best deal and provider for your needs.

Here are a few examples of medical and cosmetic procedures and the potential savings of traveling outside of the U.S.:

A few weeks ago, the Today Show aired a story about medical tourism, highlighting a couple trying to have a baby. The Pasinis were shocked by the price inside the U.S., so they looked elsewhere. The husband is Italian and found it was much cheaper to travel to Italy for their IVF treatments.

So, as you research your options, be sure to check to see how much you could potentially save compared to receiving care at home.

Better Care

Despite Americans spending trillions of dollars annually on health care, our health care system historically doesn’t rank well compared to other countries . Price can be a leading factor, but quality is also notable.

A 2020 research paper in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association studied a group of over 400 Americans heading south of the border for medical care and found that “[m]ost survey respondents felt that Mexican health care services are of the same or better quality compared with those in the U.S., for a lower cost, and plan to participate in medical tourism moving forward.”

Social media is abundant with videos showing outstanding facilities and level of care, making U.S. facilities look largely inferior.

Language Barriers

Doing anything medical can evoke anxiety for some, especially being in a foreign country. On top of that, the local language and culture can add an extra barrier between you and the medical professional trying to help you.

In the viral TikTok video we first mentioned, the woman going to Istanbul had a translator and guide throughout her entire medical checkup. So if you’re not somewhat fluent in the local language, it could be helpful to inquire about translator services at the provider or even hire a local translator for the day.

Travel Costs Can Outweigh Benefit

The costs of traveling to and from can obviously eat into the savings of the medical procedure itself. But if you prefer the glass-half-full view, you can at least get a trip out of it.

Like anything else, be sure to weigh all of the costs involved to see if medical tourism is the right option for you.

Traveling for a medical procedure, whether cosmetic or medical, can be intimidating. Here are a few steps to follow to start your research.

First, look at online reviews and accreditations of the hospital and provider. Each country has different medical standards, which can make the selection process tricky. As you’re searching, look to see if the provider is accredited by the Joint Commission International . Founded in 1997, the organization sets medical standards in over 70 countries to ensure the highest quality of care. You can find the countries and organizations that have the accreditation here .

Second, consider using a third party to help find you the services you need. FlyMedi in Türkiye is one of many agencies helping consumers find the right medical attention for their needs outside their home country.

Third, consult your medical insurance agency about your policy and coverage to see if it would cover any medical costs outside of the U.S. While it’s unlikely, the agency may have additional resources for you. They would likely rather see you go overseas rather than make a claim anyway.

While saving money is almost always a good idea, medical care isn’t an advisable place to pinch pennies. From 2009 to 2022, 93 Americans died from cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) . The typical complications are infection-related , but you can mitigate this risk by doing your research before selecting a provider.

Lastly, you’re advised to consult with your primary care physician in the U.S. before heading out. The CDC recommends meeting with your doctor 4 to 6 weeks before to ensure you have the proper vaccinations, immunizations, and medications beforehand.

The latest edition of the Patients Beyond Borders book “ Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, World-Class Medical Travel ” may be worth a read for your research.

Some countries have become known as hubs for specific procedures. Türkiye is known for its affordable hair transplants, Egypt for its affordable cosmetic surgeries, and Greece has options for fertility treatments. Türkiye has even garnered nicknames for the medical tourists it attracts, including “Turkey Teeth,” referring to people flying there for cosmetic dental work like crowns and veneers.

There is no single best country for all things medical, but according to Global Healthcare Accreditation , a Florida-based accrediting organiz ation geared toward medical travel, here are popular countries for medical tourism:

Costa Rica : About 13.4% of tourists coming to Costa Rica annually do so for medical purposes. (Nearly 2.5 million people visited the country in 2023.)
India : The country’s medical tourism market is estimated to be worth $9 billion and is projected to grow to $13 billion by 2026.
Malaysia : In 2023, over 1 million people traveled to Malaysia for medical treatment.
Mexico : An estimated 1.4 to 3 million people visited Mexico for medical purposes in 2020.
Taiwan : The medical tourism market is worth $64 billion .
Thailand : The medical tourism market in Thailand is expected to grow to $16 billion by the end of 2030.
Türkiye : In 2023, 1.8 million people visited for medical treatment.
Singapore : Over 500,000 people visit Singapore for treatment each year.
South Korea : Over 600,000 people visited South Korea in 2023 for treatment.
United Arab Emirates : Medical tourists spent $270 million for treatment in 2022.

Pick a Provider, Airline, and Card Simultaneously

The key to using rewards to their fullest extent is to reverse-engineer the process. This means creating a plan of where you want to go, which airline will get you there, and what rewards you will need.

For example, let’s say the provider you select for your medical procedure is in Singapore, and you want to fly Singapore Airlines to get there. From there, you could sign up for a card with transferable rewards to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer , like the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card or the American Express ® Gold Card .

Additionally, before signing up for 1 or more cards, design a plan for meeting the minimum spending requirements. You’re never advised to spend more to earn miles, so do your best to earn welcome bonus offers with purchases you were already planning on making.

Consider signing up for a new card and paying for your medical-related costs on that card. These costs can help you earn the welcome bonus.

Comfortable, Long-Term Accommodation Is Essential

Earn hotel points ahead of time.

Traveling for a medical procedure could involve downtime, so leaning into a hotel credit card could be beneficial.

Some medical procedures could make you sensitive to flying, so be sure to consult with your doctor on the appropriate rest time before flying back home. But in some countries, your hotel points may go further, so be sure to look into each hotel brand to see if there’s a property where you could enjoy an extended stay after the operation.

Here are a few cards and their welcome bonuses that could come in handy:

*The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Consider an Airbnb or Other Long-Term Stay

If you’re planning on more intensive surgery, an Airbnb or other long-term accommodation may be a better route to go. And, yes, there are ways to earn and redeem miles for an Airbnb stay .

If your Airbnb booking is expensive, consider purchasing discounted Airbnb gift cards. Retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club occasionally offer gift cards at less than retail value. Make sure to use one of our recommended credit cards for buying gift cards .

Medical tourism can be great for those who are open to shopping around for medical services that may not be covered under their current medical insurance. As with any trip, plenty of research should go into it to make sure you find the right provider and cost to make it worth it.

Additionally, be sure to take care of the essentials to make your trip seamless. Things like applying for Global Entry , ensuring your passport is up to date , signing up for a credit card with no foreign transaction fees , and protecting yourself with travel insurance can help you avoid significant headaches along the way.

All information and content provided by Upgraded Points is intended as general information and for educational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as medical advice or legal advice. For more information, see our Medical & Legal Disclaimers .

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here .

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

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Top Global Medical Tourism Destinations in the World
Medical Travel Tourism in Ethiopia
Medical Tourism in Ethiopia
Ethiopia Medical Travel
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Ethiopia Medical Travel

VIDEO

(ECTV) Ethiopian Graduates 21 Aircraft Maintenance Technicians
ወደ ግብጽ የሚሄደው ውሃ ተዘጋ የእስራኤል እጅ አለበት
Medical Tourism: విదేశీయులు వైద్య చికిత్సల కోసం హైదరాబాద్‌కు ఎందుకు వస్తున్నారు?
ግብጽ ኢትዮጵያን በፀጥታ ምክር ቤት ከሰሰች Help Ethiopian with medical supplies and equipment
ሱማሌ በኤርትራ ለመታገዝ ሙከራ
በግድቡ ላይ የፕሬዝዳንት ሳህለወርቅና የግብጾቹ ፍጥጫ በጋና

COMMENTS

Ethiopian Medical Tourism: Proven Techniques for Success
In the realm of medical tourism, Ethiopia is emerging as a promising target market. With its unique characteristics, abundant resources, and growing demand for quality healthcare services, Ethiopia presents significant opportunities for healthcare providers. Understanding the distinct features of this market, meeting patient expectations, and ...
Ethiopia $400m hospital is the first step to an African medical tourism
Semafor Africa looked at the various attempts by governments to stem the outflow of workers. Ethiopia hopes to turn Addis Ababa into an African medical tourism hub with a $400 million hospital complex but critics say the plan doesn't address the needs of most people in a country with a crumbling health system.
Medical tourism profile for Ethiopia: Statistics and data
Tourists 2021. Login to view. Population 2021. 117.9 million. Diaspora. Login to view. There are a number of hospitals in Addis Ababa but only private hospitals offer a reasonable standard of basic care for minor health problems. Elsewhere, medical facilities (including dentistry) are extremely poor. Chinese companies are building new hospitals.
Ethiopia is hellbent on promising a tourist surge with its medical
Ethiopia is set to transform its largest city, Addis Ababa, into a prominent hub for medical tourism within Africa, with plans to launch a multi-million dollar hospital complex next year. However, the initiative to establish a significant for-profit hospital amidst the country's struggling health system has faced criticism.
Ethiopia Implementing Strategic Policy to Become Medical Tourism Hub
Addis Ababa, March 9, 2024 (FBC) - Ethiopia has designed a 10-year strategic policy that enables the nation to become a medical tourism hub, according to Ministry of Health.Following a panel discussion at the three-day Ethio Health Exhibition and Con ... Ministry of Health Senior Advisor Esayas Mesele told ENA that the government has given ...
Medical Tourism in Ethiopia: Flying for your Life
A UNDP data of HDI (Human Development Indicators) bears out the hard truth. In Ethiopia health index measured by life expectancy at birth was 44 years in 1985 and 64 years in 2014 (Human Development Report UNDP, 2015). It is evident that life expectancy has not kept up with the growth in GDP.
HERMS Medical Consultancy and Travel Agency
HERMS is your go-to medical tourism service in Ethiopia. Our professional staff will connect you with the top local and international hospitals and doctors at unbeatable pricing. Don't let outrageous prices keep you from receiving the medical care you need; contact HERMS today for a life-changing experience.
Ethiopia: Promoting Medical Tourism
Mentioning the idea of expanding medical tourism in Ethiopia is a new idea; and WGGA Eye care Center is engaged in this same activity, Negussie the Center, taking the initiative, is undertaking ...
Effective Marketing Strategies for Ethiopian Medical Tourism
Discover effective marketing strategies for Ethiopian medical tourism. Learn about the unique market opportunities, patient expectations, and cultural accommodations. Consider working with Global Healthcare Accreditation for gap analysis and accreditation. Collaborate with the Medical Tourism Association and Global Healthcare Resources for expert market penetration. Ethiopian medical tourism ...
Roha in discussions with Ethiopian Airlines on medical-tourism
Roha Group aims to position Ethiopia to compete in the $5bn African medical tourism market. Roha Medical Campus, which is building a hospital in Addis Ababa, is in discussions with Ethiopian Airlines over a medical-tourism partnership, Roha's executive chairman Brooks Washington tells The Africa Report.
Ethiopia: Long Way to Go Towards Medical Tourism
Furthermore, Medical Travel Journal 2014 report stated that the number of hospital agencies that facilitate medical tourism travels in Ethiopia increased from 3 to over 12 from 2009 to 2014. And ...
Africa's potential as a medical tourism hub
Many patients are opting for their cancer treatment overseas for better treatment. Medical tourism market share for the cosmetic segment was $12,603.8 million in 2018 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 11.9 per cent in the forecast period. Cancer treatment is predicted to have the fastest growth rate in the forecast period.
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About us. We know how hard it is to find safe and trustworthy medical centers and treatments abroad. Therefore, PlacidWay Ethiopia is here to help you choose the best options when it comes to quality medical tourism. We only work with accredited medical facilities worldwide and highly-trained physicians, because we care about your well being.. Ethiopia residents now have access to modern ...
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Customized Treatment Packages and medical opinions are offered prior to travel. Discount tickets for Patient, Attendant/Donor, etc. Payment: Pay at your Home country at Local currency. Patient can avail USD Billing facility also. Payment can be made either through credit card or cash or wire transfer.
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Growing numbers of Ethiopians are traveling to Central Europe, India and Southeast Asian Medical tourism destinations for care. Nearly 95% of African citizens are traveling to countries like Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and India for the best in orthopedic, cardiac, pediatric an internal medicine care and services.
Ethiopia Implementing Strategic Policy to Become Medical Tourism Hub
Addis Ababa March 8/2024 (ENA) Ethiopia has designed a 10-year strategic policy that enables the nation to become a medical tourism hub, according to Ministry of Health. Following a panel discussion at the three-day Ethio Health Exhibition and Conference that opened yesterday, Ministry of Health Senior Advisor Esayas Mesele told ENA that the government has given priority to make Ethiopia a ...
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Addis Ababa in Ethiopia is the centre of local outbound medical tourism. Due to poor local healthcare, an increasing number of Ethiopians are seeking healthcare in other countries. The problem is that most of them cannot even afford the cheapest Indian treatment. So as well as seeking gifts and loans from friends and relatives, many advertise ...
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By accessing Placid Ethiopia medical tourism program, you will get access to top medical facilities with exceptional results in various treatment areas, high success treatment rates and worldwide recognised specialists. Ethiopian patients are provided with maximum suport, both in finding the right treatment and specialist, and also paperwork ...
Ethiopia
Meningitis (Meningococcal disease) Recommended for travelers 2 months old or older traveling to areas of Ethiopia that are part of the meningitis belt during the dry season. Meningococcal disease - CDC Yellow Book. Meningitis Belt Map. Rabies. Dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Ethiopia.
Africa's Medical Tourism Market Outlook 2022: How the
Dublin, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Medical Tourism 2022: African Potential" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. ...
Welcome to Four Medical Travel
Four Medical Travel is founded by women entrepreneurs who are well experienced on the medical tourism industry. One of the top medical travel companies,The office situated in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. Four Medical Travel collaborates with internationally recognized medical Centers and some of the most skilled physicians in their respective ...
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Cost-Effectiveness: A Key Consideration for Medical Tourism From Ethiopia to India Medical expenses can be a significant burden for patients, and this is where India stands out as an appealing choice.
Health checkup practice and its associated factors among adults in
To assess health checkup practice among adults in the South Gondar zone of northeast Ethiopia in 2022. A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed from July 30, 2022, to August 30 ...
Medical Tourism Is Having Its Moment. Here's What To Know
Taiwan: The medical tourism market is worth $64 billion. Thailand: The medical tourism market in Thailand is expected to grow to $16 billion by the end of 2030. Türkiye: In 2023, 1.8 million people visited for medical treatment. Singapore: Over 500,000 people visit Singapore for treatment each year.

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