Singapore’s healthcare system is well positioned to capture the upturn in medical tourism when the region recovers from the economic downturn, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan told Parliament. The minister reported that private hospitals involved in medical tourism are seeing only marginal drops in revenue compared to last year.

He pointed out that despite having a competent healthcare system, with world-class facilities and a well-deserved reputation for high medical and ethical standards, efforts to expand the capacity and raise the capabilities of healthcare services are continuing. To meet future demand, the government has been releasing land for hospitals and medical centres. As the region recovers from recession, he expects medical tourism to increase as Singapore is well positioned to capture the growth. The minister stressed that Singaporeans do not suffer from competition from foreigners for medical services. Singapore receives about 400,000 medical tourists a year. The minister admitted that the earlier target of one million medical tourists by 2012 was unrealistic.

source: TreatmentAbroad