Strategies to diversify and market health services and medical tourism to be addressed by a Commonwealth Secretariat-funded project

An international symposium which will examine the challenges and strategies of developing the health services and medical tourism sectors in Mauritius will be held on 9-10 April 2008.

The two-day event will take place in the Mauritius resort of Balaclava. The Board of Investment in Mauritius is organising the symposium, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Some 30 participants from the country's public and private sectors are expected to attend the event, which will highlight and explore key strategies of "tapping the export potential of the health care services and life sciences industries" in the country.

Over the last two years, Mauritius has embraced bold economic reforms that have made it among the most open, competitive and lowest-tax economies in the world. There is, however, a need to diversify its economic base by actively promoting emerging sectors of health care and life sciences, to reduce the country's reliance on primary products and move into high value service-based exports for the global market.

Nikhil Treebhoohun, Adviser and Head of Trade Section in the Secretariat's Special Advisory Services Division, said the symposium will facilitate interaction and networking among key international leaders in health care services and life sciences, and help position Mauritius as a strong global player in these sectors.

"The symposium will provide a platform where global players in the industry will have an opportunity to share their experience, concerns and success," he noted, and added that it "will also identify the policy and operational constraints to enable an increase in direct local and foreign investment."

Sessions during the two-day event will examine the latest trends and developments in the global health services exports industry, medical tourism, pharmaceutical industry, biomedical research, medical education and alternative health care therapies.

For example, Dr Dev Saksena, head of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Bombay Hospital, India, and Dr Russell Walton, a specialist plastic surgeon from South Africa, will discuss global health tourism, focusing on the drivers of this industry, the lessons learned and how Mauritius can succeed in this competitive industry.

Over the last three years, the Secretariat has provided assistance to improve the export competitiveness of several member countries besides Mauritius. They include Barbados, Cyprus, Dominica, Ghana, Jamaica, Malaysia, Malta, St Lucia, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago.

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