Light in sight

by Neerja Singh | Destinations of the World News

In late July this year, Swiss Reinsurance company, one of the world’s largest reinsuring companies, tied up with World Medassist, a US-based medical tourism company to provide employers with the option to save on medical bills by sending employees abroad for treatment. Swiss Re is one of the nation’s largest corporate insurers, and services federal employees and large national companies.

It is the first time a major insurance company in the US has deigned to acknowledge a trend that the medical fraternity largely sniggers at. Ken Erickson, CEO of US-based Global Choice Healthcare says: “This medical tourism thing is nothing. It’s not happening. People who don’t have insurance are travelling abroad for treatment, but there is no large movement, no corporation is involved. It’s either recreation or desperation. It doesn’t count for anything.”

Sniggers and jibes aside, the fact remains that over 50 million people in the US are without insurance, and the issue is emotional enough to form a large part of the electoral agenda for both parties as the US goes to the polls in November. The irony is, the poorest who are living on state welfare are taken care of by Medicaid. Of those remaining, the luckier ones work in companies that shoulder the cost of paying the insurance premium, an average of US$5,900 per annum for a family of four. Those whose employers do not provide this facility either choose to go without insurance because they believe they are healthy, or sometimes just cannot afford it. Also, older people over 55 do not receive insurance even if they have the money. It is these two groups that make up the target market for medical tourism operators.

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War Ravaged Iraqis Traveled to India for Quality Healthcare

by PlacidWay
Years of war have literally destroyed Iraqi’s once world-renowned healthcare system. The Iraqi healthcare system used to be considered one of the best in the region, but today, millions of Iraqis suffer from respiratory infections, formerly preventable diseases such as measles, and malnutrition. The WHO (World Health Organization), UNICEF and USAID have joined hands and efforts to provide essential services for many Iraqis, but continuing conflict has reduced the effectiveness and ability of such organizations to provide quality and all-around care for Iraqi citizens.

Dire Straits for Iraqis
The basics are missing from Iraqi’s healthcare facilities and hospitals these days, from vaccinations to cardiac defibrillators. Meningitis, dysentery, and malaria have become the norm. Hospital labs can’t perform tests, and lack of drugs and basic supplies severely hamper physician’s efforts to cure patients. Medicine, syringes and IV fluids are often only available through the black market.

Missing drugs, ill-equipped doctors, and sometimes infested clinics and hospitals are seriously hampering healthcare efforts in Iraq, and patients are suffering. Corruption and incompetence is replacing what used to be known as one of the most efficient, state-of-the-art, and highly educated healthcare providers in this area of the world. Money earmarked for medical drugs, equipment and clinics goes missing, and even formally world-renowned facilities and ERs in Baghdad are suffering the consequences.

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War Ravaged Iraqis Traveled to India for Quality Healthcare

by PlacidWay
Years of war have literally destroyed Iraqi’s once world-renowned healthcare system. The Iraqi healthcare system used to be considered one of the best in the region, but today, millions of Iraqis suffer from respiratory infections, formerly preventable diseases such as measles, and malnutrition. The WHO (World Health Organization), UNICEF and USAID have joined hands and efforts to provide essential services for many Iraqis, but continuing conflict has reduced the effectiveness and ability of such organizations to provide quality and all-around care for Iraqi citizens.

Dire Straits for Iraqis
The basics are missing from Iraqi’s healthcare facilities and hospitals these days, from vaccinations to cardiac defibrillators. Meningitis, dysentery, and malaria have become the norm. Hospital labs can’t perform tests, and lack of drugs and basic supplies severely hamper physician’s efforts to cure patients. Medicine, syringes and IV fluids are often only available through the black market.

Missing drugs, ill-equipped doctors, and sometimes infested clinics and hospitals are seriously hampering healthcare efforts in Iraq, and patients are suffering. Corruption and incompetence is replacing what used to be known as one of the most efficient, state-of-the-art, and highly educated healthcare providers in this area of the world. Money earmarked for medical drugs, equipment and clinics goes missing, and even formally world-renowned facilities and ERs in Baghdad are suffering the consequences.

Because of the dire situation in Iraq, millions of Iraqis are scrambling and saving to travel to foreign destinations for quality and affordable medical care. One of the most popular destinations for Iraqis is India. Iraqis are patient as possible while they wait for passports and travel permits to venture beyond their war-ravaged borders for healthcare. Children and adults requiring surgeries are able to receive affordable care in India for conditions in cardiac, orthopedic, vision and dental care, making any and all sacrifices more than worth the effort.

Otherwise treatable conditions in Iraq severely limit the life expectancy and prognosis for many children and adults diagnosed with lung disorders, chronic illnesses, malnutrition and its aftermath. Today, children in Iraq die of treatable conditions such as diarrhea and measles because medications are unavailable.

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