Investment Opportunities

Healthcare and Medical Travel

Key Facts

Mauritius has, over the years, built itself the reputation as a medical hub and is now emerging as a medical travel destination. The developments in its healthcare industry have been consistent and sustained. The number of privately owned clinics and hospitals increased by more than 50% in the last three years.

Mauritius has attracted significant Foreign Direct Investment in the healthcare and medical travel sector. Major global healthcare players have invested in multi-speciality and super-speciality centres of excellence to provide a wide spectrum of treatment and services.

To support the fast growth of the healthcare sector, both the Government and private operators have been investing massively in capacity building to cater for the increasing skilled manpower requirements of this industry. Doctors, dentists, nurses and other healthcare professionals are trained both locally and in the best universities overseas. Mauritius provides outstanding academic and clinical training environment for medical studies. An increasing number of foreign students choose Mauritius for studies in medicine and dentistry. The number of qualified healthcare professionals coming on the market has experienced a sustained growth over the past few years.

Mauritius is now gradually emerging as a leading medical travel destination. The island has developed expertise for servicing foreign patients travelling to Mauritius, for both inpatient and outpatient treatments. The number of foreign patients grew eight-fold in just four years between 2005 and 2009. In fact, Mauritius provides a suitable alternative to avoid the long waiting lists and expensive medical procedures in developed countries.  Likewise, for elective procedures such as cosmetic and plastic surgeries, which are not typically covered by insurance companies, Mauritius is a destination of choice for low-cost quality treatment combined with a tropical holiday.

Mauritius is now being increasingly known for providing treatment in niche areas like cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, plastic and cosmetic surgery, dentistry, orthopaedics, hair grafting, high-tech imaging and diagnostics, amongst others.

With its strategic location and easy accessibility, through regular flight connectivity to major cities around the world, Mauritius is now a leading provider of healthcare treatments to  patients mainly from  regional countries, Africa, Middle East and Europe.

Investment Opportunities

Multi-speciality hospitals and super-speciality centres of excellence

Mauritius is an attractive investment location for the setting up of multi-speciality hospitals and super-speciality centres of excellence providing medical facilities and treatment to local and foreign patients in various areas which include:

Cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery Colorectal surgery Dermatology Diabetology & endocrinology Family medicine Gastroenterology Laparoscopic surgery Haematology Hand and reconstructive micro- surgery Internal medicine Neurology & neurosurgery Nuclear medicine Fertility treatment Psychiatric care

Nephrology Ophthalmology Obstetrics & gynaecology Oncology Orthopaedics & sports medicine Otolaryngology Paediatrics Pulmonary & respiratory medicine Radiology and imaging services Rehabilitation medicine Rheumatology Urology Vascular surgery

Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery clinics

An increasing number of tourists travel to Mauritius to enjoy a tropical vacation together with an elective cosmetic surgery. As cosmetic surgery is not reimbursed by insurance companies, patients choose to travel to Mauritius where the procedures are cheaper. In this perspective, there are opportunities for the setting up of plastic and cosmetic surgery clinics providing a comprehensive range procedures like blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty,  mammoplasty , abdominoplasty, lipoplasty, otoplasty and nymphoplasty.

Medical laboratories and hi-tech imaging and diagnostic centres

Many tourists and professionals optimise on their trips to Mauritius to have a thorough health screening. This creates opportunities for the setting up of medical laboratories and diagnostics centres providing facilities and specialities in haematology, microbiology, serology, clinical biochemistry, virology, parasitology, toxicology, histopathology, cytopathology and surgical pathology. There are also opportunities for hi-tech medical imaging centres providing advanced diagnostics tools like radiography, tomography, magnetic resonance, thermography and nuclear medicine.

Dental clinics and laboratories

With the burgeoning dental travel market, there is now the potential to set up dental clinics offering dental procedures and treatment in different areas like endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, paediatric dentistry, geriatric dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery and dentofacial orthopedics. In the same vein, opportunities have cropped up for dental laboratories involved in the design and manufacture of dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, orthodontic appliances and other dental accessories.

Geriatrics clinics and retirement villages

According to the UN, the world is currently facing the challenges of an ageing population. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of older persons in the world will exceed the number of young ones for the first time in history. This trend clearly unveils opportunities in elderly care, geriatrics, and rehabilitative medicine targeted to elderly non-citizens coming to Mauritius for retirement or rehabilitative care.

Convalescence centres and pain clinics

The exotic and tropical climate of Mauritius, together with its soothing environment, makes it conducive to healing. Such favourable environmental factors have created opportunities for convalescence centres and pain clinics providing specialised care to patients suffering from acute and chronic conditions.

Stem cells treatment

There is growing consensus on the effectiveness of stem cell therapies to treat a wider variety of diseases including cancer, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis and muscle damage. Mauritius is in the process of setting up the appropriate frameworks for stem cells treatment. There will thus be opportunities to set up stem cells-based treatment centres on the island.

Testimonials

“Our group, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, the largest healthcare provider in Asia, in collaboration with the British American Investment Co Ltd, has recently set up Apollo Bramwell Hospital, a 200-bed super-speciality infrastructure in Mauritius. The hospital houses centres of excellence in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, nephrology and opthalmology, neonatology and paediatrics, trauma and cosmetic surgery. Apollo Bramwell is presently attracting patients from different parts of the world for treatment in Mauritius. Total investment in the hospital is estimated at over US$70 million with employment opportunities for around 500 staff. The investment-friendly climate and the extremely safe and pleasant environment have encouraged us to invest in Mauritius.”

Dr. Prathap C. Reddy
Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited
www.apollobramwell.com

“Fortis Healthcare is India’s fastest growing healthcare company with 3,300 beds and revenue CAGR of 67%. We have joined hands with the Ciel Group in Mauritius to acquire controlling stake in Clinique Darné, a leading private hospital in Mauritius. Mauritius was carefully chosen as our first international investment and operations destination as we strongly believe that Mauritius has all the prerequisites to become the leading medical travel destination in the region.  Our experience in Mauritius has been entirely positive.”

Mr. Shivinder Mohan Singh
Managing Director
Fortis Healthcare
www.cliniquedarne.com

"The Hair Grafting Medical Centre launched its speciality centre in Mauritius in 2001. The clinic is part of the Challenge Hair Group which also has centres in France, Canada and Spain. We offer comprehensive hair grafting treatment and holiday packages to patients coming from different parts of the world. Over the years, we have found in Mauritius the perfect business and living environment."

Gérard Guidi
Managing Director,
Hair Grafting Medical Centre
www.hairgraftingclinic.com

“After an international career of more than 40 years in the healthcare sector during which I worked as a clinician, an educator and a health service consultant in both the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, I decided to come back to my motherland and set up Clinique Pierre Janet, the island’s first private centre for psychiatric care. Clinique Pierre Janet started operating in 2009 and offers a comprehensive range of psychiatric services including de-toxification and long term management of chronic conditions. A combination of factors has motivated me to invest in Mauritius, namely a conducive business environment, support of the Board of Investment, availability of skilled labour and potential for Mauritius to attract foreign patients for treatment.”

Mr Tony Lingiah
Chief Executive Officer
Clinique Pierre Janet
www.cliniquepierrejanet.com