As a tourist destination, Argentina has so much to offer: waterfalls, glaciers, wine routes and the capital of tango, among other attractions. But also Surgeons, Ophthalmologists, Cardiologists, Dentists and Dermatologists of first level, able to perform medical and surgical procedures similar to those of any developed country.
According to statistics from consultants Deloitte & Touche this is a market that generates about 60,000 million dollars a year, and in 2012 is expected to generate about 100,000 million. What does Argentina have to fight in this market which is disputed between countries like India or Thailand? "First, there is a question of costs," said Leonardo Boto, executive director of the National Institute of Tourism (INPROTUR). In the United States, a heart bypass costs about U$S 144,000 and breast implants U$S 10,000, while in Argentina these procedures cost U$S 10,000 and U$S 2300 respectively. "There is also a matter of cultural alignment between the United States, Europe and other Latin American countries," added Boto.
To an American, for example, it is a delicate situation to visit a country like India, which does not share the language, religion or have the same views on some aspects of life". Today, Argentina receives each year between 6000 and 8000 foreign patients for cardiovascular surgery, aesthetic medicine, dental treatment or assisted reproduction fertility, among others. But if you take into account cosmetic and aesthetic treatments of low complexity, Boto said the figure is four times larger.
Newspaper “La Nación” Sunday October 25, 2009 | Published in print.
