English patients open their ‘hearts’ in Lanka

A Sri Lankan company, in a new initiative, is linking up with British groups to promote medical tourism to Sri Lanka from January 2008.

In a tie-up between John Radcliffe Hospital, CardiaCore of the UK and Sri Lanka’s United Holidays, the project will bring patients from the UK for cardiac surgery at Durdans Hospital.

United Holidays Chairman Afghar Mohideen said this form of tourism was existent in neighbouring countries such as India, Thailand and Singapore.

Durdans has a fully equipped ward with 15 rooms set aside for this project. A cardiac surgeon from John Radcliffe will visit with each batch of nearly 15 patients and lead the local surgery team. Patients will fly down for the surgery and immediate aftercare while the long-term aftercare will be attended to in the UK. “Last January a team of seven surgeons from the UK and Singapore held a workshop for local cardiac surgeons who were impressed with the competence levels of the local surgeons,” Mohideen said.

He said it is cheaper for UK patients to have the surgery performed in Sri Lanka while the country will receive a lot of foreign exchange and revenue in the process.

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism K. A. D. George Michael told The Sunday Times FT, “We have huge potential (in this sector). So we are all for it.”

"United Holidays is a leading in-bound out-bound tour operator in Sri Lanka and the out-bound activities are operated under the name of Go Holidays Ltd., which is an IATA Agent and is also the franchisee in Sri Lanka for Student Travel Association International and International Student Identity Cards. United Holidays is also the General Sales Agent in Sri Lanka for United Airlines and Air Canada."