Karachi: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development hosted a significant Medical Tourism Conference in Karachi, drawing high-profile attendees including medical professionals, tourism industry leaders, government officials, and parliamentarians.

In his keynote address, Mr. Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, Senior Vice President of FPCCI, underscored the potential for Pakistan to leverage its medical expertise to attract medical tourists, citing the successful examples of countries like Turkiye, India, Iran, and China. He noted that the global tourism industry contributes significantly to the world GDP and plays a crucial role in job creation and services exports.

Medical tourism, Mr. Magoon stated, is an expanding global industry, projected to grow from $144.5 billion in 2024 to $700 billion by 2033. Countries such as Thailand, Iran, India, and others have become hubs for medical tourism by offering cost-effective healthcare, advanced facilities, and government support.

Lt. Gen. Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat (Retd), Managing Director of Green Tourism Pvt Ltd, highlighted the factors driving the global medical tourism market, including rising healthcare costs in developed nations and the demand for specialized treatments. He pointed out that many countries have successfully attracted international patients by providing advanced medical technologies and quality care.

Former FPCCI President Mr. Zubair Tufail emphasized Pakistan's potential in the medical tourism sector. He mentioned that previous conferences organized by the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development in Turkiye, Iran, and other countries have explored this topic. This event marks the first private sector-led conference in Pakistan, with live streaming available to all OIC countries.

The conference also featured addresses by other notable figures, including Mr. Atif Hanif, President and CEO of AlBaraka Bank Pakistan, Ms. Saima Agha, Parliamentary Secretary of Sindh, Dr. Farhat Abbas, CEO of Aga Khan University Hospital, and Dr. Habib-Ur-Rahman, Chairman of Shifa International Hospitals.