TABNAK, Sep, 25: According to Mahdavi, the country’s annual health tourism revenue total 700 million euros at the moment.
Iran plans to become a healthcare providing hub for South Asia in coming years, he said, adding the project would help Iran export 1 billion euros of vaccines and medical equipment annually. Iran also holds the potential of receiving more revenues from attracting more international students.
At the moment, Iran’s annual medicine exports total 200 million euros which can be easily increased to 1 billion euros.
He said lack of proper mechanism to provide good services as well as lack of confidence and good support for medical tourists are main obstacles to increase the country’s status in terms of health tourism.
According to a report released by Iranian Health Ministry in August 2023, the number of medical tourists visiting Iran is around one million people per annum.
“Every year, one million foreign patients are treated in Iran,” said the report.
“Our policies on the medical sector concerns internationalization of our capacities, playing an effective role to draw patients, particularly from the neighboring countries, and the development of scientific and economic cooperation to increase the country’s share in the international health market.”
Iran’s medical tourism revenues reached $1 billion during the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20). 247 hospitals and medical centers have been granted special licenses for medical tourism.
People from the neighboring countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, Armenia, and Tajikistan, constitute the lion’s share of medical tourists arriving in Iran.
The Islamic Republic has been ranked 46th destination for medical tourism [within the 2020-2021 Medical Tourism Index], based on the report.
Experts say Iran’s Medical tourism is a win-win opportunity both for the country and foreign patients, as they are offered affordable yet quality treatment services and the country gains considerable foreign currency.
The Islamic Republic is known in the world as an affordable destination for health tourism, and the government is making a great effort to attract more medical tourists in the years to come.
Credible surgeons and physicians, cutting-edge medical technologies, high-tech medicine and diverse specializations, super affordable procedures, and finally its hospitable people, are considered Iran’s trump card when it comes to medical tourism.
