Cali Emerging as Colombia’s Top Medical Travel Spot
Cali, Colombia, is emerging as one of the country’s most popular destinations for medical tourism, reported El Tiempo newspaper.
Citing statistics from Colombia’s association of plastic and cosmetic surgeons, El Tiempo reported that the city, in western Colombia, hosts about 50,000 medical travelers a year. Almost one-third of them are foreigners, with the majority from the U.S. and Spain. Nearby Latin American countries are also prime foreign markets for Colombia.
The cosmetic surgery association told the newspaper that a good number of the medical travelers are women coming to Colombia for plastic surgery treatments, which cost about one-quarter of US prices.
A total of 105 doctors in Cali belong to the Colombian Association for Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Reconstruction, and 61 belong to the Ibero-Latin American Foundation for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
According to El Tiempo, Cali has the largest number of working plastic surgeons in the country, with five surgeons per 1,000 people. Bogota and Barranquilla are second, with four surgeons per 1,000 residents. Cali also offers 40 specialized clinics, second only to Bogota, the Colombian capital, which has 60.
Medical tourism is a growth industry for Colombia, according to the Colombian Medical Tourism Division of Proexport Colombia, which promotes international trade, and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.
Colombia has invested billions in constructing modern hospitals and clinics with updated technology, according to these agencies. These institutions are accredited by the Joint Commissions International, as well as Colombia’s ISQUA.
Among its advantages, Colombia promotes the country’s proximity to its primary source market, the United States, the frequent air service, and the high-quality and low-cost medical treatments.
According to Proexport Colombia, the country’s specialty areas for medical travelers are cardiovascular treatments, orthopedics and joint replacement, ophthalmologic surgery, cancer treatments, fertility, weight loss, plastic surgery, dental care, and comprehensive medical evaluations.
