London - Naeem Arzu
Jordanian doctors offer state of the art medical treatment
Medical tourism in the Middle East is projected to attract 753,500 patients by 2016, and will generate revenue of $2 billion
.
According to the Middle East Medical Tourism Industry Outlook to 2016 -Advanced Medical Infrastructure Paving the Way for Future Growth report, released Tuesday, Jordan is the leader in the medical tourism industry in the Middle East, attracting patients from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Sudan.
The kingdom is ranked 5th in the rest of the world, with an estimated 400 Canadians, 1200 British and 1800 US citizens travelling to the country in 2007 for medical treatment, generating revenues exceeding $1 billion.
The country offers state of the art medical facilities in all the 106 hospitals, with the health centre in capital Amman receiving most patients.
Treatment costs as low as 10-30 percent of the price in the US, and Jordan’s diplomatic relations with Western countries have attracted medical tourists from all round the world.
Most nationalities do not require a visa, or they can obtain a visa on arrival.
Popular treatments include cosmetic surgery, neurological surgery, orthopaedics and organ transplantation.
The report ranked Turkey in second place, followed by Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.