Securely Travel Travel Securely
The medical tourism market is valued at more than $11 billion and is expected to grow to more than $88 billion by 2030 according to industry experts. According to Patients Without Borders the top ten cities for medical tourism are:
- Bangkok
- Budapest
- Cancun
- Escazú
- Kuala Lumpur
- Mumbai
- Seoul
- Bali
- Istanbul
- Barcelona
For those seeking medical treatment, whether at home or abroad, it carries risk, and each individual must calculate the risk benefits to their own tolerance. One area where individuals contemplating medical procedures abroad should place emphasis is on the various “What if” that may occur. At home, one has a general knowledge of the medical triage and capabilities in an emergency, do your research and determine if the available triage and medical protocols are sufficient.
Medical Tourism - when things go south
Shantae Eddington traveled to Mexico for a “Lipo-360” liposuction procedure. Within five days of returning to the U.S. she was back in the hospital. The doctors advised that she had “developed a flesh eating bacteria known as Necrotizing Fasciitis.” What caused this? The reasoning is, that it was caused by a medical instrument which had not been sterilized.
Then there is the case of Laura Monica Avila, who in 2018 traveled from El Paso across the border to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico for a cosmetic procedure and things went sideways. Her blood pressure became irregular and she suffered cardiac arrest. She was taken to a Juarez hospital from the medical center and was placed in an induced coma as the “anesthesia had damaged her.” Some days later she was transported back to El Paso to a hospital, brain dead. The clinic she visited in Juarez was shut down by Mexican authorities.
Do your due diligence
These are two examples, there are more, and given the market size, the numbers are small. Small that is unless you are that number. This is why it is so important that travelers ask questions, get firm answers, check and double check the emergency procedures and verify that what is “advertised” is real. Look for and seek testimonials.
Medical tourism is here to stay. Do your part to keep yourself safe.
