The pulse of health tourism is beating again in the shadow of empathy

Health tourism, which, like other sectors, areas and areas of activity in the country and the world, has suffered fatal wounds from the outbreak of coronavirus and reached its lowest point of life, has regained its pulse with the control of disease and the spread of vaccination, but still faces many challenges and issues. There is this relationship.

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Prior to the outbreak of Corona, the tourism industry was the third largest industry in the world after the oil and automobile industry, and of course it still retains its position, although we have witnessed its temporary cessation, and this industry, which is unique in its kind, has an impact. It is worthwhile to earn countries’ foreign exchange earnings, and it will certainly become the world’s number one industry in the not-too-distant future, with leapfrog growth and development, as experts have predicted.

Among these, health tourism has different sections and sub-branches, including pilgrimage tourism, agrotourism (agricultural tourism), ecotourism, industrial tourism, cultural tourism, food tourism, historical tourism, etc., but its therapeutic and revenue-generating aspects are much more prominent and its benefits More than other sections.

There are various definitions for health tourism, for which titles such as “medical tourism” and “health tourism” are also used; The World Tourism Organization (WTO) specifically defines health tourism as “the use of services that improve or enhance a person’s health and morale (using mineral water, climate or medical interventions) that reside in “It’s a place outside of where he lives and it usually lasts more than 24 hours.”

Meanwhile, health tourism in Iran and of course Khorasan Razavi due to the high level of medical equipment, cheap services, the presence of capable specialists in the field of medicine, etc. is one of the desirable and attractive destinations for health tourists and foreign patients seeking treatment and beauty. are.

Comprehensive health tourism management system of Iran

The head of the country’s professional health tourism community told IRNA in this regard: “A system called the comprehensive system of health tourism management in Iran was designed with the aim of organizing the entry, exit and service of health tourists.”

Hossein Nikonam, stating that this system has passed its pilot test in the last eight months in Khorasan Razavi and is now waiting for national approvals to extend it to the whole country, continued: In the framework of this system, all entry and exit of health tourists in Iran And provinces are registered.

He added: “In this way, all related files are registered in this section and a new chapter is opened for market development, solving problems and identifying obstacles.”

The head of the country’s professional health tourism professional community stated: This system has received the approval of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts so far and is now waiting for a license from the Iranian Health Tourism Steering Council.

Corona ax to the root of health tourism

The head of the country’s health tourism professional community, referring to the serious consequences and irreparable damage to the corona outbreak in the field of health tourism, said: Given the 2-year outbreak of the corona, the amount of damage should be doubled.

Pointing out that Khorasan Razavi is one of the most important destinations for health tourism in Iran, he said: the amount of damage to this sector in Khorasan Razavi during a year is equal to 150 million dollars, which can be increased to 300 million dollars for 2 years. .

Nikonam continued: “In the whole country, the total influx of health tourists decreased by 75% compared to the period before the outbreak of Corona virus, which was unprecedented and problematic in its kind.”

Regarding the amount of compensation for the damages to this industry from the place of payment of bank facilities, he said: “Minor cases of payment of facilities have been done in this regard, and of course, those facilities have been paid with high interest to applicants and of course not to all applicants.” .

The dark landscape of health tourism

“Given the expansion of vaccination, which is a great success in the new government, we are seeing a surge in health tourism and relatively good growth in this area,” Nikonam said. The beginning of the sixth wave of the disease in the country can still not be considered a clear vision for this industry.

He continued: “This trend will continue as long as the effective vaccine or definitive treatment of the disease is determined in the world, and we will see a drop in statistics in this sector.”

The head of the country’s health tourism professional community said: “Before the start of the sixth wave of the disease in the country, estimates indicated that if the situation continues, the health tourism market will experience a good start from July next year and will grow by 50% compared to recent years.” Experience, but unfortunately with the current trend one can not expect a clear and hopeful situation.

The real statistics of health tourists in ambiguity

The head of the country’s health tourism professional community in the field of health tourists who have entered the country, said: The statistics announced in the field of health tourism are announced according to the visa issued, but the fact is that most visas issued in this area by the consulate Is called health tourism, but in reality we do not see the arrival of health tourists.

He said: “Most foreign tourists succeed in obtaining visas under the pretext of medical treatment, but they do not generate real income and currency for a healthy tourist for the country and the provinces.”

Nikonam added: “According to estimates, 700,000 medical visas have been issued to enter Iran in the last two years, of which less than 10% have been real patients.”

The head of the Khorasan Razavi Health Professional Tourism Association said: Between 20 and 25% of the health tourism in the whole country belongs to Khorasan Razavi.

He stated: In the field of visa issuance, because 85% of Khorasan Razavi market is related to tourists from Iraq and Afghanistan, the role of Mashhad in attracting health tourists is more prominent and thus over 50% of health tourists entering Khorasan Razavi and They have arrived in Mashhad.

Mashhad Paradise Health Tourism

The head of the Khorasan Razavi Health Tourism Professional Association, referring to the existence of about 6,000 doctors in this province and 65 hospitals and medical centers equipped and ready to provide services to health tourists, said: Currently, 30 medical centers, hospitals and limited surgery centers and clinics in Mashhad metropolis Specialized especially skin, hair and beauty clinics are licensed to operate.

Referring to the 100% growth in the number of health care centers for health tourists in Mashhad in less than 6 months, he said: “Before this number, there were 15 health care centers in Mashhad.”

Nikonam said: “We have witnessed an increasing growth in the number of travel service offices with health tourism licenses, so that its number has increased from 45 companies to 100 companies in Khorasan Razavi.”

He added: “Of course, in the country, the number of travel services offices in this sector has increased from 200 to 700 companies.”

He said: “But in the meantime, Mashhad and its many pilgrimage attractions, along with equipped centers and excellent services can be provided, has a favorable position among health tourists.”

Double the number of health tourism service centers

The director of health tourism of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences also told IRNA: “The number of centers with health tourism licenses, both public and private, in Mashhad has doubled compared to last year.”

Davood Khoshashkan added: “Currently, 30 centers, including hospitals, clinics and clinics in Mashhad, have health tourism licenses, of which eight hospitals, including Khatam al-Anbia (PBUH), Imam Reza (AS), Velayat, Shahid Hasheminejad, Taleghani, Ghaem (AS).” And Sheikh and Akbar hospitals operate in the field of children in the public sector and the rest in the private sector.
He pointed out: “According to the new rules, any hospital, clinic or clinic can obtain a health tourism license by observing the necessary standards, but for medical offices that do cosmetic work, a procedure has not yet been announced by the Ministry of Health.”

He announced that the number of companies active in the field of health tourism in Mashhad has tripled, and now 100 tourism companies are operating for this purpose.
The director of health tourism of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences stated: In the case of Corona pandemic and with the release of Omicron, health tourists from high-risk countries such as England, Denmark and Germany are prohibited from entering the country as well as Mashhad, but nationals from other countries are subject to testing. Negative CR within 48 hours prior to vaccination certificate is possible, including Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Referring to the recent visit of the Deputy Governor of Najaf to Mashhad and visiting the health tourism centers of the metropolis, Khosh Shekan said: During his two-day visit to Akbar, Khatam Al-Anbia (PBUH) and Imam Reza (AS) University Hospitals in Mashhad, as well as several medical centers A private, such as the 200-bed “Observers” hospital, visited Mashhad with the aim of preparing the ground for sending patients from this country.

Attractive cosmetic surgeries for tourists

The head of the Khorasan Razavi Health Tourism Professional Association said that Iran has lost a large market in the field of health tourism due to sanctions and lack of financial, banking and insurance relations with most countries in the world. Insurance contracts are good, it is not possible to sign contracts with our country’s medical centers, as a result of which we have lost a wide range of customers for this reason.

Referring to the lack of insurance support for cosmetic surgery in other countries, he said: “For this reason, most of the health tourists in our target market mainly come to Iran and Khorasan Razavi for cosmetic surgery.”

Nikonam stated: Currently, the reception of health tourists in Khorasan Razavi from 57 different nationalities is registered, but the entry of our health tourists from Iraq and Afghanistan is 85% and the remaining 15% are from other nationalities.

He considers cosmetic surgeries of interest and demand of foreign tourists such as rhinoplasty, septorhinoplasty (rhinoplasty with removal of nasal deviation), hair transplantation, skin and hair services, body sculpting, bypass surgery (shrinking the stomach) with Announced therapeutic and slimming goals.

The head of the Khorasan Razavi Health Tourism Professional Association said: “Considering that the countries of Iraq and Afghanistan do not have an insurance system, the residents of these countries perform most of their advanced treatments in Iran.”

He added: “These medical services received include cancer treatment services from diagnosis to radiation therapy, various types of infertility treatments, orthopedic surgeries, brain surgeries, all medical services and heart surgeries, etc.”

Serious consequences of interference of ministries

Nikonam said: “Resolving the fundamental differences between the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts is one of the expectations from the government to be able to help the private sector in the field of health tourism and see the industry’s problems resolved.” The country and Khorasan was Razavi.

The head of the Khorasan Razavi Health Professional Tourism Association added: “Currently, the private sector in the field of health suffers the most from the differences in tastes and behavior of these two ministries.”

He specified: the Ministry of Cultural Heritage should recognize its professional position and act as the custodian of tourism and work in the field of marketing and organization.

Nikonam added: “This is while the Ministry of Health is currently marketing itself directly and bringing tourists from abroad, while the main task and mission of this ministry is to focus on providing medical services and improving the quality of treatment.”

He called the interference in tourism affairs by the Ministry of Health highly harmful and said: “The smoke of these disputes and problems will go to the eyes of the private sector and investors in this sector.”

He continued: “On the other hand, companies and tourism service offices should also receive the necessary training and appoint people who are approved by the Ministry of Health as advisors to patients.”

Nikonam stressed: “It must be properly understood that the private sector does its job of marketing, attracting currency and doing economic work, and the public sector must be the policy-maker, supervisor and holder of a governing role, and we must pay attention to domestic interference in tourism.” It has recovered and suffered even more than sanctions.

The head of the Khorasan Razavi Health Tourism Professional Association stated: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should also increase its cooperation in this field and see the position of health tourism more prominently.

He said that the issuance of medical visas should be professionally entrusted to companies with health tourism licenses in order to reduce the confusion in this sector, he said: all agencies and ministries should work in a concerted effort to promote health tourism.