Medical and Wellness Tourism in Bangladesh: A State of Art

Medical and Wellness Tourism (MWT) is a growing industry worldwide; however, Bangladesh lags. Therefore, this study aims to shed light on MWT in Bangladesh, which will aid in comprehending the industry better to formulate an effective MWT plan in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is an outbound source for treatment. While there is a lack of comprehensive data on the inflow and outflow of MWT in Bangladesh, several factors are contributing to both movements. This chapter will discuss these factors. Though Bangladesh has made significant progress in improving its healthcare infrastructure in recent years, it still lags many developed countries in terms of access to advanced medical technologies and treatments. As a result, patients in Bangladesh who require specialized treatments or advanced medical procedures often travel to other countries such as India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and so on. The outflow of medical tourism from Bangladesh is a concern for the country, as it means that revenue that could be generated from medical tourism is being lost. The government of Bangladesh has recognized the potential of MWT and has taken steps to promote the sector by improving the local health care and wellness systems, particularly by offering more specialized treatments to keep patients within the country. However, to fully realize this potential, the government and the private sector need to work together to address the challenges and concerns of MWT, such as improving the visa process, enhancing patient safety, and ensuring quality of health care.