Pakistan Unveils $10 Billion Plan to Become Global Health Tourism Hub
Pakistan Unveils $10 Billion Plan to Become Global Health Tourism Hub
The government sees health tourism as a way to advance healthcare, tourism, and economic prosperity together.The government is preparing an ambitious plan to turn the country into a regional hub for global health tourism, targeting up to $10 billion in annual revenue within five years. The initiative, developed by the SIFC, Ministry of Health, and Health Tourism Working Group, aims to attract patients worldwide with quality treatment at lower costs. The government sees health tourism as a way to advance healthcare, tourism, and economic prosperity together.India and Turkiye already have established medical hubs, with thousands travelling for treatment, so Pakistan has successful models to look to as it develops its own health tourism sector.Pakistan has three advantages, says Ali Ehsan of the Policy Research Institute of Market Economy: many qualified doctors, a developed private medical sector, and the fact that medicine in Pakistan is very westernised, with many doctors holding foreign qualifications.»Yes, Turkiye and India have established medical markets, but I think Pakistan also has some role to play here and can absorb a major portion of medical tourists here,» Ehsan believes.
AnalysisPakistan’s Auto Industry Goes Regional: Bangladesh Gets First Shipment3 August, 18:24 GMTFuture export markets include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain due to high demand, good air links, and existing ties, according to Dr Muhammad Muhammadi, Security and Strategic Analyst at Shanghai International Studies University.»The Central Asian countries, particularly Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, have easy geographical access, and CPEC-adjacent connectivity plans are being implemented to improve connectivity,» he notes.Beyond economics, both experts agree that medical tourism is a tool of diplomacy that can deepen regional relations and improve Pakistan’s modern image abroad.
