Andrew
Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE could save an estimated US$400 million outbound medical expenses per annum through increasing domestic health sector investments, which will enhance capacity to serve locals as well as lure clients from the entire region, medical experts have said.
The need to boost medical service capacities has come under increased spotlight in the wake of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in loss of many lives across the world.
This has seen medical tourism gaining momentum as patients, including Zimbabweans, travel all the way to countries such as India and South Africa to seek specialist medical services, which drains scarce foreign currency resources from the economy.
Dr Phillipa Sibanda, a healthcare practitioner and managing director for Hwela Healthcare – who has stayed in the United States of America for 18 years – said she has come back home and intends to invest in the health sector.
“An estimated US$400 million per annum is spent by about 20 000 Zimbabweans seeking outbound medical services and that was before the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr Sibanda, who recently visited Expo 2020 Dubai and sought to highlight some of the opportunities in the local health sector.
“There is a huge potential to grow our healthcare sector and Zimbabwe is positioned for a thriving medical or healthcare tourism services. Our SADC region has a big market and we have a wide space as Zimbabwe to serve in that area.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has exhausted the health sector workers in the last two years and currently this space is not occupied by the private sector, except for a few mission hospitals. So, there is a huge scope for investments here.”
Online Reporter