Africa Loses $7 Billion Annually to Medical Tourism

Aga Khan Hospital's Chief Operating Officer, Khurram Jamal, stated that Africa loses approximately $7 billion annually due to medical tourism, with around 300,000 Africans traveling to India each year for medical care. He emphasized the need for increased investment in specialist healthcare and medical research across Africa to build a world-class healthcare system that can reduce dependence on treatments in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Jamal highlighted that nearly 70% of African doctors travel abroad for specialist training, leading to a permanent loss of talent. He called for greater investment in clinical research and noted that Africa contributes only 4% of global clinical trials despite accounting for 17% of the world's population and 25% of the global disease burden.

The Aga Khan University Hospital participates in 17 clinical research projects and operates a 300-bed tertiary facility in Nairobi, Kenya, with outreach centers across East Africa. The hospital also runs residency programs and fellowships to train the next generation of African healthcare professionals.