Medical tourism is getting increasingly popular in Belarus. Foreign tourists can combine travelling and recreation with high-quality treatment and recuperation at Belarus’ best healthcare facilities and health farms.
Belarus has been providing healthcare services to foreigners for a long time. Foreigners often come to Belarus for a complicated surgery or in-hospital treatment. In recent years Belarus has proved one of the most promising medical tourism destinations in the CIS. There are a number of reasons behind it:
Number of foreigners who came to Belarus for medical treatment and rehabilitation:
Citizens of more than 140 countries come to Belarus for treatment: Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Georgia, Syria, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Israel, Italy, Cyprus, Serbia, China, the USA, just to name a few.
Cancer treatment, oncohematology, trauma treatment, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, oral medicine, neurosurgery, cardiology, heart surgery, speleo therapy, medical rehabilitation and other therapeutic areas are available for foreigners.
Besides improving the quality of medical services and efficiency of treatment, Belarusian healthcare facilities are constantly working to expand the variety of high-tech and sophisticated surgeries.
Cardiology
Belarusian medical professionals perform most advanced surgeries on heart and great vessels, including implantation of artificial ventricles, transplantation of heart, aorta and other vessels, treatment of heart rhythm disorders in adult and pediatric patients.
Oncology
The following treatment methods are available in Belarus: thermo-chemotherapy of patients with advanced lung cancer, photodynamic therapy of patients with cervical dysplasia, transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells.
The Children’s Oncology and Hematology National Center has achieved excellent results in treating malign tumors: the efficiency of treatment of lymphoblastic leukemia is 75% and of Hodgkin's lymphoma is over 90%.
Neurosurgery
Belarusian specialists use endovascular methods to treat cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, stereotaxic methods to treat patients with Parkinson's disease and brain tumors, microsurgeries to remove brain tumors, and rhizotomy methods to treat trigeminal neuralgia.
Traumatology and orthopedics
Many surgeries performed by Belarusian specialists are unique. In 2009, in addition to endoprosthesis of knee and hip joints, Belarusian surgeons started performing prosthetics on shoulder and ankle joints.
Ophthalmology
Belarus uses progressive treatment methods, such as cataract microsurgeries (phacoemulsification), corneal transplantation and laser surgeries on premature infants with retinopathy.
Otorhinolaryngology
Gorge and tracheae recanalization in children under one, microsurgeries on nasal septum, cochlear implantation are performed in the country.
Reproductive technologies (IVF)
In vitro fertilization efficiency is over 42%, which goes on level with foreign clinics.
Organ and tissue transplantation
Belarusian transplant specialists have received on-the-job training in the best clinics of the U.S., the UK, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Lithuania, and Poland. In the number of organ transplantations the Republic of Belarus surpasses all ex-Soviet countries, including Russia and Ukraine.
Rehabilitation
An individual approach, high efficiency of rehabilitation, unique opportunities for recovery in motor function disorders with the use of the latest technologies.
Belarus boasts the CIS only salt spa therapy center.
Plastic surgery
Low prices and good results achieved by Belarusian esthetic surgery specialists are the reason why foreigners account for up to 50% of patients of Belarusian plastic surgeons. The quality of Belarusian plastic surgeries have been appreciated by patients from the Baltic states, Germany and the U.S.
The cost of services in Belarusian clinics is one of the most important factors attracting patients alongside with the quality of treatment. Prices for some medical services:
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure – about $2,500
• Endoprosthesis of hip joints – about $6,000
• Aortocoronary bypass – about $10,000
• Cochlear implantation (plus implant) – €15,500-36,500
• Salt spa therapy center – $45-79 per day
The official website of the Healthcare Ministry of the Republic of Belarus, "Paid services to foreigners" division, provides the latest information on medical services, clinics, necessary documents, the cost of operations and treatment.
You can come to Belarus:
After studying preliminary information and getting in touch with the clinic, you can come to Belarus (citizens of some countries need a visa to Belarus), sign a contract for paid medical services and receive treatment.
One medical service is paid in advance, a set of medical services (hospital care) – in two stages: prepayment (hospital stay and an estimated cost of treatment) and final afterpayment.
If you decide to come to Belarus with the help of a medical tourism agency, make sure you choose a reliable company that will take proper care of you during your stay in Belarus.