Medical tourism in Russia: what attracts patients from Islamic countries
Medical tourism is developing noticeably in Russia. If in 2017, 300 thousand foreigners received treatment in the Russian Federation, then in 2022 - more than 1.2 million. A significant part of the patients are from countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The top 5 OIC countries, which citizens show the greatest interest in medical services on the territory of the Russian Federation, include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The most popular areas and profiles among medical tourists are check-up, transplantation, dentistry, oncology, ophthalmology, neurosurgery and surgery, including cardiovascular, otorhinolaryngology, obstetrics and gynecology, urology, traumatology and orthopedics.
Such data were announced at the international forum “Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum” in 2023. According to Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Mihail Murashko, ophthalmology assistance is most in demand among foreign patients in Russia, including from Arab countries.
Experts believe that the increase in the number of patients is associated with the work in Russia of the federal project “Development of Export of Medical Services” since 2019. It is noted that halal medical tourism has already appeared and is developing in the country. Typically, this is an additional package of services for Muslim tourists who seek treatment during a religious tour.
You can improve your health in Russia in sanatoriums certified according to Halal standards. The regional program “Halal Tourism” with voluntary certification of sanatoriums for receiving guests from Islamic countries exists in the Republic of Tatarstan. At the federal level, the “Roskachestvo. Halal”, center was created and accredited, which can evaluate and certify sanatoriums throughout the country. The Roskachestvo-Halal certificate is valid in the countries of the Persian Gulf, a number of states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as in the countries of the Customs Union.
Among the advantages for which patients come to Russia are: developed high-tech medical care, high quality standards, the presence of doctors of the highest category with international experience and qualified general medical personnel, affordable cost of medical services and associated costs (accommodation, food, transportation), personalization in treatment and the possibility of providing rehabilitation treatment, as well as territorial proximity (a number of OIC states border on the Russian Federation).
In 2024, the topic of medical tourism, according to the organizers, will be separately raised at the international forum “Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum”, which will be held in Kazan, Tatarstan, in May 2024. International industry experts will discuss the development of medical tourism in Russia and the OIC, new opportunities for patients from the countries of the Islamic world, as well as issues of providing halal medical services.
We invite correspondents and media executives to take part in the program of the international Forum “Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum” and special events for the media. We will be glad to see you at KazanForum-2024!
You can get accreditation using link - for English; link - for Russian.
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