Serbia taps crisis-hit
Westerners for medical tourism
BELGRADE, April 21, 2009 (AFP) -
Each summer, Julia Karstens of Germany has her teeth seen to in
Serbia, where authorities are eager to lure tourists seeking
cheaper medical bills amid the global economic crisis.
"A friend of Serbian origin invited
me to come with her to see a dentist in her country. This is how it
all began," said Karstens.
Karstens said she was "very
satisfied with the quality of service," but insisted cheaper prices
were the main reason for her trips to the former Yugoslav
republic.
"In Germany, I pay 60 euros (80
dollars) for a tooth filling, while here the whole crown costs
less," she explained.
Inspired by such cases, Serbia has
begun to develop its medical tourism industry.
And, hit by fallout from the
worldwide financial crisis, many in the West have been looking out
for destinations where treatment can be much cheaper than in their
home countries.
Serbia, while lacking the sun and
sand of established medical tourism hubs mainly in Asia, was well
positioned close to the European Union, with high standards of
treatment, said its economic ministry.
"We offer good quality medical
services as well as competitive prices," said Renata Pindzo, an
official in charge of tourism.
Pindzo noted however that stronger
investments were necessary in order to offer services which would
satisfy the demands of foreign tourists.
Doctor Milan Radivojevic of the
private clinic Medical Centar in Belgrade said he has treated
patients from abroad, mainly for cosmetic surgery, for more than 15
years.
"We have had customers coming even
from Australia, Canada," he said.
Radivojevic said surgery in Serbia
was much cheaper than in Western Europe.
"For breast augumentation, for
example, the price is about 2,500 euros (3,320 dollars). This
amount includes all prices linked to this service" including
accommodation, he said.
"Nose surgery costs between 1,600
and 2,000 euros (2,120 and 2,650 dollars)."
Private-owned clinics have joined
the ranks in order to promote medical tourism in Serbia, getting in
touch with tourism officials and economic experts from various
ministries.
The plan is to offer patients who
come to Serbia surgery or other medical services while presenting
them other benefits, like discovering the country's sites or
visiting its numerous thermal spas, said doctor Ivana Vranic, one
of the promoters of the initiative.
Public hospitals, mostly due to
their obsolete infrastructure and outdated equipment, neglected
during years of crisis and 1990s economic sanctions, are presently
unable to offer such services.
The first offers of medical
tourism in Serbia were mostly aimed at the country's large global
migrant community who take advantage of family visits to obtain
medical care at reasonable prices.
"They were happy with our services
and recommended us to their friends. The word of mouth did the
rest," Radivojevic explained.
Radivojevic said he is convinced
the negative image of Serbia, present in the West during a decade
of wars in 1990s in the Balkans, is now a thing of the
past.
He said he had confidence in
Serbia's future in medical tourism.
"The fear of the Balkans is
beginning to disappear and we now have the same status as other
clinics in the world," he said.
By Suzana Markovic