The Resurgence Of Medical Tourism In Singapore: Why Southeast Asians Fly To The City-State For Health And Treatment?

There is a resurgence of medical tourism in Singapore as it reopened its borders following the Covid pandemic. In doing so, Singapore welcomed back not only tourists looking to spend their holidays here but also patients seeking to find better treatment and more accurate diagnosis of their health conditions.

In fact, privately owned hospitals in the city-state have observed a rise in the number of patients from overseas. A report from The Straits Times showed that before the pandemic hit Singapore, around 40,000 foreigners fly here every month for medical care. These figures, however, are expected to grow post-COVID, with hospitals and healthcare professionals noting a steady increase in the number of foreign patients.

So why do patients from other parts of the world go to Singapore for medical care? Here are the top reasons, according to experts.

Medical Tourism In Singapore – Top Reasons

‘Second Opinion And Treatment’

IHH Singapore’s chief commercial officer, Jeffrey Law, told The Straits Times that most of their patients who seek their healthcare services need second opinion and treatment on their condition. In most instances, the diagnosis and treatment they receive in their home countries may not be accurate or insufficient to enable them to achieve a full recovery.

IHH runs Gleneagles, Parkway East and two Mount Elizabeth hospitals in Singapore.

Easing Of COVID-restrictions

In 2021, Singapore was the first country in Southeast Asia start dropping mandatory quarantine as a measure to prevent the curb of COVID-19. This development not only allowed leisure travelers to visit the Lion City with little to no restrictions but also patients who needed to catch up in their treatments.

Healthcare Services Can Respond To More Complex Illnesses According to healthcare professionals, Singapore’s health institutions have the capacity to diagnose and treat more complex illnesses such as cancer. Law of IHH said most of their foreign patients present more complex treatments like oncology, neurological surgeries, organ transplants, to name some.

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