Advancing global medical tourism: Health and economic perspectives from the Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Medical tourism (MT)—the practice of traveling across borders to receive medical treatment outside of a patient’s home country—is a burgeoning industry globally. This article provides insights about MT and its impacts on sub-Saharan Africa. Globalization of medical care is a multi-billion-dollar phenomenon, associated with economic, ethical, legal, and cultural factors. Main drivers of MT are grounded in several factors, namely, medical costs, waiting lists, connectivity, and utilization of advanced technology. In contemporary Africa, health is no longer a fundamental human right but a commodity traded as a good in the marketplace, subject to forces of demand and supply. MT is increasingly embraced by the privileged in national governments to meet their health needs. To curb the growing medical expenditures abroad, the region needs to transform its health sector, reduce barriers to business growth, and create conditions conducive to strengthening health systems—especially in fragile and low-income countries. Thus, governments and other actors could design policies that implement the development of MT while upholding moral and ethical values.

Keywords

Financing / Medical tourism / Health insurance / Universal health coverage / Uganda

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