People travel for self-entertainment, exploring new cities, and experiencing different environments and cultures to broaden their knowledge. Recently, the concept of medical tourism has gained popularity, involving travel to specific countries for the purpose of recovery and treatment of persistent illnesses. This is attributed to the development of specialized healthcare institutions, highly competent staff, and advanced medical facilities. Medical tourism also encompasses leisure activities and visits to natural areas.
Each country has its unique features and characteristics that distinguish it from others. In the Arab world, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stands at the forefront of countries people seek for medical treatment. It has become a regional hub for medical and cosmetic treatment due to high-quality healthcare, short waiting periods, competitive prices, making it an ideal destination for patients seeking treatment abroad.
The UAE boasts an extensive network of hospitals and medical centers across the country, providing the best medical treatment services, according to the official portal of the UAE government. In addition to routine procedures and cosmetic surgeries, the UAE hosts specialized centers for various medical fields such as dentistry, cosmetic and elective surgeries, general check-ups and diagnostics, oncology, cancer, and diabetes.
The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, launched the e-portal for medical tourism in December 2018. This platform offers a digital gateway allowing those interested in visiting Abu Dhabi to benefit from its healthcare services and a comprehensive range of integrated services and products they may need from the moment they decide to visit the emirate until their recovery and departure.