Medical Tourism Heats up in Cuba

Cuba has been a hot spot for medical tourism for the past 20 years, and patients from all over the world are increasingly flying to Havana in search of treatments in its five-star resorts. To get a first-hand look at the medical services Cuba has to offer international patients, BBC’s Will Grant recently visited La Pradera, a health centre in Havana.

In an article on the BBC website, Grant says, “It’s been a record year for tourism in Cuba thanks to a thaw in relations with the US and other countries – and the country’s healthcare sector is also enjoying a boom.” Health tourists generate revenues of $40 million a year for the Cuban economy. 

“Opponents say this private medical tourism creates a two-tier system but others argue that the combination of healthcare and holidays brings in much-needed money to the country’s health system,” says Grant.

Patients from all over the world travel to Cuba to receive affordable treatment for complicated and expensive procedures. Cuban health facilities offer a wide range of treatments, including dental work, cosmetic surgery, rehabilitation, neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.

Americans in particular have been enjoying the thawing relations between Cuba and the United States. With the island’s close proximity to the U.S. (it’s only a one-hour flight from Havana to Miami), some 300,000 Americans flocked to Cuba in the first five months of 2017.

Whether you’re saving money on a major procedure or simply want to escape on a wellness retreat, Cuba’s health facilities are well-equipped for the medical tourism boom that it’s been enjoying.

You can watch the video of Grant’s visit to Havana, Cuba, here.