A British pensioner who retired to Spain has travelled to Bahrain to undergo a vital surgery and saved more than 20,000 Euros (approximately BD8,800) on making the kingdom her health tourism choice.
Pam Hook, who had a Prolapse, underwent surgery on Monday at King Hamad American Mission Hospital and is now recovering well.
The 81-year-old, originally from West London, had been waiting 10 agonising months for treatment having suffered a prolapse, and would have faced a massive health bill from a private hospital in Spain … until a family friend from Bahrain recommended flying to his home country.
“The doctors and staff at the hospital have been absolutely fantastic,” Ms Hook told the GDN. “My good friend, Bahraini Nader Shaheen, came to Spain and witnessed the problems I was having.
“He suggested that it would be a good idea to come to Bahrain to have the operation because it was so very expensive to have it carried out privately in Spain. I’m glad I did and would highly recommend people to come to the kingdom for their medical procedures at a fraction of the price they may have paid at home!” she added.
She was all praise for the local healthcare system and highlighted how ‘supportive’ the hospital staff were toward her throughout the procedure after arriving in Bahrain a week earlier.
A prolapse is a condition in which organs fall down or slip out of place and while it is rarely life threatening, it does require timely treatment as it causes discomfort and interfere with the quality of life. Untreated prolapse might also lead to other issues such as urinary tract infections, kidney damage from blocked urine flow, or incontinence.
The fourth National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Conference and Exhibition entitled ‘Bahrain – A Medical Tourism Destination’ held last year featured major discussions on how to push the kingdom as a one-stop destination for medical tourism.
Other similar conferences continue to be staged in support of promoting Bahrain’s healthcare sector, with the Health Ministry set to hold the first Public Health Conference and Exhibition in co-operation with BDA Health and Medical Conferences and Exhibitions Company, in November this year.
Specialised medical conferences and exhibitions are part of a broader strategic plan, as previously highlighted by Tourism Minister Fatima Al Sairafi, which also includes special joint campaigns with travel agents and tourism offices.
“For Pam’s procedure, she was looking at a 27,000 Euros standard cost with no extras, with no standard rates. That’s equated in Bahrain to 5,000 Euros (around BD2,200) – the total bill, including the colonoscopy and everything else so, it was incredible value for money,” Mr Shaheen noted, highlighting attractive prices for medical services in the kingdom, further underpinning Bahrain as a medical tourism hotspot.
“It would have been well over 30,000 Euros for the same procedure (in Spain). This is how cost prohibitive medical procedures are in Europe,” added the Edamah marketing, corporate communications, public relations and advertising head.
Ms Hook, who has been living in Spain for the last 36 years and was eligible for its national health service treatment, had been waiting for the operation since November last year.
“My experience in Spain of its health system had been dreadful when I got this medical problem and even had to wait a month to get an appointment with my own doctor. I felt totally let down.
“Unfortunately in Spain, the national health is not in a good condition and appears to prioritise people who have terminal diseases,” explained the former Harrods buyer, who is enjoying a short holiday in Bahrain to convalesce and will return to her Spanish home at the end of the month.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
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