Medical tourism on the rise in Dubai, Abu Dhabi

Dubai - The surge in numbers attributed to various initiatives launched by the Dubai Health Authority, including the 'Be Beautiful in Dubai' campaign.

Medical tourists are flocking to Dubai and Abu Dhabi for more than a dose of Vitamin D, according to hospitals in the emirates.
They attribute the surge in numbers to various initiatives launched by the Dubai Health Authority, including the 'Be Beautiful in Dubai' campaign.
Cosmetic surgery providers like the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital (AACSH) have designed special packages to attract medical tourists.
As per the hospital's recent statistics, the most popular surgical procedures during summer are liposuction - making up 45 per cent of all procedures carried out between June and August - followed by breast surgery (31 per cent) and body lift surgery (10 per cent).
The AACSH also revealed that 27 per cent patients who visited the hospital during summer were from outside the GCC and Mena regions, with 35 per cent travelling from within the Middle East.
According to the report "UAE Healthcare Sector Outlook 2020" published by RNCOS, the UAE healthcare industry is expected to grow at 7 per cent during 2015-2020.
Statistics also revealed a surge in non-surgical treatments even before the summer season, with dermal fillers making up almost a third (32 per cent) of all non-surgical treatments carried out between March and June this year.
Non-invasive body contouring and cellulite reduction treatments are in huge demand, making up 25 per cent of non-surgical treatments carried out between March and June; Botox comes third with 24 per cent, facial rejuvenation laser treatments fourth with 13 per cent, and laser hair removal in fifth position with 6 per cent.
Chief Medical Officer at AACSH, Dr Matteo Vigo, said: People have more leisure time during the summer, and therefore they travel more, prefer to undergo major cosmetic procedures, as they have enough time to rest and heal before heading back to work."
kelly@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai