1. THE DEMAND FOR SRI LANKA AS A MEDICAL TOURISM
DESTINATION FOR THE ETHIOPIAN PUBLIC
A SCOPING STUDY
PREPARED BY:
FEKADE TADESSE
THE HONORARY CONSULATE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST
REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
March 31, 2015

2. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
It is very common to hear a loud speaker on a minibus roaring through Addis Ababa with
big posters of photo’s advertising medical treatments abroad. This is more evident around
churches and mosques during holidays. Children, university students, youngsters, and many
more are observed on major junctions advertising the services in places like Central Europe,
India and Southeast Asian Medical tourism destinations for care. Nearly 95% of African citizens
are traveling to countries like Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and India for the best in
orthopedic, cardiac, pediatric an internal medicine care and services.
The Ethiopian Medical Service
The Ethiopian government provides free medical services to its citizens through the 100
hospitals and nearly 400 health centers scattered throughout the country. However, Ethiopians
experience a low average life expectancy of less than 50 years. Even more shocking is the infant
mortality rates that are high, prompting the middle class to seek health in foreign land instead of
being treated in their own country.
Medical Tourism Facilitators in Ethiopia
The number of foreign hospital representatives in Addis Ababa is increasing significantly
to address a growing demand of medical travel in the country. Five years ago, the number of
foreign hospital representative offices had not been more than three. Now it has reached about
eleven.

3. Bumrungrad International Hospital
The Thailand based Bumrungrad International Hospital was among the pioneers in
opening a representative office here in Addis, six years ago. Accredited by the Joint Commission
International (JCI), a commission which was launched in 1999 after a growing demand to
effectively evaluate quality and safety of medical services, the hospital gives many medical
services which are not available here in Ethiopia i.e. (Cancer prevention, Orthopedic, neurology
and Urology). For comprehensive checkup, without including travel and accommodation,
customers have to pay USD 500 to USD 600 for the hospital. During the first three years when
the representative office was operational, it was sending only 60 people a year on average for
treatment as stated by the manager of Bumrungrad International Hospital office in Addis Ababa.
However, in the last two years, the office has sent 1,082 people to Thailand.
Rak Hospital
The Rak Hospital, a Dubai based medical facility which was operational two years ago
for the same purpose, has a represented office in Addis Ababa facilitating medical services.
These offices also facilitate the travel plan for those who are referred from local hospitals and
private doctors. Rak Hospital also gives medical services which are not currently available in
Ethiopia like orthopedics, joint replacement, neurosurgery and spine, interventional cardiology,
cardiac surgery, Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery. Based on their treatment history, people
who go to Rak Hospital will pay an amount that ranges from USD 300 to USD 20,000 on
average.

4. There are also Indian, Turkish, and Saudi Arabian and South African represented
hospitals in Addis Ababa. “Most of our customers are people who want to travel for general
checkup and stay there for a little vacation” says Mr. Getu, a facilitator for Bumrungrad
International Hospital.
“The demand from both kinds of customers is growing Patients who are referred from the
local hospitals to get treatment abroad as well as people who want to travel for checkup and
vacation” says Meron Bekele (PhD) manager of Rak Hospital in Addis Ababa. According to her,
about 240 people travel to Dubai every year for such purposes through her office. The city of
Dubai, according to Patients without Borders, a publisher of international medical travel
guidebooks, now boasts 24 American-accredited JCI hospitals. (There are over 120 hospitals
worldwide that are accredited through the JCI). Dubai receives over 400,000 international
patients per year.
To attract foreign patients, many countries are touting their medical technology, low
prices and safety standards. At least ten countries now host medical tourism hubs. The primary
destinations for Medical Tourism include countries such as Thailand, India, Singapore, and
Malaysia. About 7 million people travel abroad each year seeking everything from dental work
to weight loss surgery to cancer treatment. Researches show the Healthcare Travel industry is
growing at 15 to 20 percent annually. In 2007 alone, 1.54 million people have traveled from
around the world to Thailand for alternative Medicine, Cosmetic Surgery, Dental Care, Gender
Realignment, Heart Surgery, Obesity Surgery, Oncology and Orthopedics. In Southeast Asia, the
health sector is expanding rapidly, attributable to rapid growth of the private sector and notably,
medical tourism, which is emerging as a lucrative business opportunity. Countries here are

5. capitalizing on their popularity as tourist destinations by combining high quality medical services
at competitive prices with tourist packages.
Some countries are establishing comparative advantages in service provision based on
their health system organizational structure. Thailand has established a niche for cosmetic
surgery and sex change operations, whilst Singapore is attracting patients at the high end of the
market for advanced treatments like cardiovascular, neurological surgery and stem cell therapy.
Ethiopians spent over 30 million dollars in medical treatment expenditure abroad, in the year
2012, according to the estimations by the Ministry of Health (MoH).
A number of factors are attributed for the increment of international medical travels. The
major reason is the health sector boost in these countries and the failure to provide quality
service or affordable health care in the other countries. While economic benefits are central to
medical tourism for the recipient countries, there are other factors in play. Most medical travels
are for procedures that are not adequately available in the home-country. In countries where
there is no widespread national healthcare, the lack of adequate health insurance or no health
insurance at all, causes people to seek treatments abroad, according to researchers in the area.
Though the exact figure for the number of travelers for such purpose is not identified, the
(MoH) confirms the number is significantly growing. Ethiopia has 130 public and 70 private
hospitals, according to Petros Kidane, acting director of medical services directorate at the MoH.
“Though it is very difficult to say that the country will soon retain its medical travelers for
quality health care, there are some areas where the Ministry is resolving this issue” he said.
According to Mr. Kidane, some advanced medical equipment is supplied to hospitals currently in
the form of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and City Scan. The Ministry is also
encouraging the community and other foreign investors to engage in this service.

6. The Myungsung Medical Center (MCM), a Korean-run health center in Addis Ababa, is
undertaking on a USD 9 million dollar expansion project to encourage Ethiopians to stay in the
country for medical treatment, according to the manager. “A growing number of Ethiopians
travel overseas each year for treatment to the Middle East, Europe, South East Asia and South
Africa.
The average cost of each trip is estimated to be USD 20 thousand dollars. In 2011 alone,
more than 6,000 Ethiopians visited the Thai capital, Bangkok, for the same purpose” he said.
One of the hopes to increase the medical services locally and to retain the foreign currency that
the country is spending on medical travels is the Ethio-American Doctors who are on track to
introduce International Standard Medical Centers in Ethiopia. It will feature 27 medical
specialties that currently are not offered in Ethiopia like vascular surgery, urology, pulmonology,
neuro-surgery and reproductive endocrinology, and it is expected to commence operation soon.
In addition, the Tikur Anbessa General Specialized Hospital, under the Addis Ababa
University (AAU), has plans to build an ultra-modern medical facility. The University is also
teaching students in different sub specializations as well. “This will help decrease the number of
patients that travel abroad to seek care and will also give services to patients from neighboring
countries like South Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti,” says Ahmed Reja, Chief Executive director
of The College of Health Science at AAU. “As a diplomatic capital of the continent where many
high profile diplomats reside, the city has to provide sophisticated medical services.” He said “in
Ethiopia, there is only one qualified doctor for every 35,000 people and until now, there is no
medical center accredited for the international standard.”
An expert who has been working in the medical service of the country for several years
cites evidence that there is only one radiation service for 80 million people. Around 80 percent of

7. the patients die before their appointments for the treatment, he argues. He also recommends that
the foreign hospitals have to be encouraged to open branch hospitals locally so that people can
easily access the service and to fill the gap.
Sri Lanka Medical Tourism
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the country ranks high on the best
healthcare systems worldwide. There are dozens of accredited Sri Lanka hospitals in this
relatively small island-country with an international reputation for efficiency and excellence.
There must be some very good reasons for someone to travel nine thousand miles to seek
medical treatment, besides the side benefit of being able to incorporate the treatment with an
exotic vacation. There are other locations, just as exotic, offering competition to Sri Lanka’s
medical tourism and many that are a lot closer to home. Here are just a few reasons to consider:
There are currently nearly 20 ultra-modern, accredited hospitals in Sri Lanka, both public and
private.
There is an emphasis in Sri Lanka on medical services that incorporate high levels of
trust, safety, efficiency and effective successful outcomes. Fees charged by hospitals in Sri
Lanka are a fraction of those charged in the U.S. Sri Lanka is a country of international cultures
where English is the main language of education and business. Most importantly, Sri Lanka is
safe where the crime rate is low and security is high. The medical personnel are some of the most
sophisticated and highly trained in the world, with many world-class physicians in practice there.
Traveling for Sri Lanka Medical Tourism is easy because transportation is incredibly accessible
and affordable. Tourists can use buses which are common in most towns and outside villages,
taxis that are rarely metered and offer more comfort and security, or for a unique experience,

8. three wheeler taxis which are usually waiting outside hotels and tourist sites are available with
eager and keen drivers willing to take you all over the city. With flights connecting to 180 cities
of the world, the cost of a round trip flight, medical treatment and vacation costs are less than
treatment alone in the U.S.
Following are the three prestigious private hospitals in Sri Lanka. Please click on the
name and you will be directed to the hospitals home page.
Lanka Hospitals http://www.lankahospitals.org/
Nawaloka Hospitals http://www.nawaloka.com/
Asiri Hospitals http://www.asiri.lk/
Contact us:
Honorary Consul of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Ethiopia
P.O. Box 19531
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel Addis Ababa: +251 937930860
Tel: USA +1-909-904-8148
www.slconsulateaddis.com