- Healthcare in Iran has grown rapidly and thrived in past decades, and the country now boasts hundreds of state-of-the-art hospitals and clinics.
- Because of the low cost of treatment and high-quality medical services, Iran has indeed become a preferred and a topnotch medical tourism destination.
Image: PCS
As healthcare costs continue to rise, patients are exploring alternative options for medical treatments and procedures.
Medical tourism is a trend that has gained significant attention in recent years. By travelling to other countries for medical care, patients can access specialised procedures, state-of-the-art facilities and highly trained medical professionals, all while experiencing new cultures and destinations.
In the global scene, medical tourism is booming worldwide, attracting significant attention in recent years, attracting the interest of policymakers, researchers and the media.
Initially, medical tourism primarily involved patients from underdeveloped countries seeking medical care in more advanced countries that offered treatments not available in their home countries.
However, the practice has since expanded to include individuals from all over the world seeking medical care at lower costs, with shorter wait times, or for specific medical procedures not covered by their insurance plans.
It is estimated that each health tourist will generate exchange rate three times a normal tourist.
Over the past couple of years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has emerged as a significant destination for medical tourism, attracting individuals from various parts of the world seeking high-quality healthcare services at affordable prices.
Healthcare in Iran has grown rapidly and thrived in past decades, and the country now boasts hundreds of state-of-the-art hospitals and clinics.
Because of the low cost of treatment, high-quality medical services and famous cosmetic surgeons and doctors, Iran has indeed become a preferred and a topnotch medical tourism destination in recent years.
Major cities like Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan house internationally accredited medical facilities offering a wide range of medical treatments and procedures.
Iran was ranked 46th destination for medical tourism. According to available data, patients from neighbouring countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, Armenia and Tajikistan, constitute the lion’s share of medical tourists arriving in the Islamic Republic.
Rising healthcare costs, increased care needs over longer lifespans and constant pressures on some insurance industries are among reasons behind why some patients opt to travel to destinations like Iran that have been able to invest rapidly in their healthcare infrastructure in order to satisfy surging demands.
The country has set its goals to exceed its yearly medical travellers to around two million in calendar year 1404 (March 2025-March 2026).
But why Iran? Here we briefly try to answer. Iran boasts credible surgeons and physicians, cutting-edge medical technologies, high-tech medicine and diverse specialisations, super affordable procedures within a trusted health system and finally it is home to many hospitable people.
Iran has long been a major centre for the development of medical knowledge so that just a few traditional medical schools in the ancient world have been as comprehensive as Iranian medical schools.
Hippocrates, the father of Greek medical science, admits how some of his medical theoretical foundations have been adapted from the ancient Iranians.
Long history and advanced civilisation together with a hunger for immortality paved the way for medical knowledge to flourish in Iran.
Ancient medical schools founded in Iran such as Gondishapur have been teaching medicine for thousands of years. And physicians such as Avicenna have been in the vanguards of medical development through centuries.
Knowledge and technology complete each other. As the knowledge grows, the tech world also expands; and by the expansion of the technology, more opportunities become available to increase and nurture the current knowledge.
High-quality medical services come with advanced systems and up-to-date devices that make the hospitals more capable of offering a diverse set of treatments to all the tourists willing to try their medical care process in Iran. Whether it’s a simple treatment such as injecting Botox, hair transplant or tummy tuck; or a major surgery like heart surgeries, all of them can be done in Iran with the same quality at a lower cost!
Iran as a medical tourism destination has credibility in various medical fields. These include (but are not limited to): infertility treatment, cancer treatment, cosmetic surgery/ pre IVF-consultations and investigations, orthopaedics – joint replacement, dental treatments, orthopaedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, cardiology and cardiac surgery, obesity treatment, ophthalmology.
Iran is also one of the top destinations for disease diagnosis and comprehensive health check-ups.
In addition to the medical tourism facilities and conditions mentioned above, Iran also is an attractive destination for health and wellness services such as spas therapy, preventative care, rehabilitation and the treatment of chronic diseases. There are about 300 mineral-rich springs across the nation with the ability to develop as health towns, water therapies and hotel therapies.
A hygienic environment and the clear, up to par outcomes of medical practices are the least that international patients can expect from Iranian hospitals.
Full medical consultation and comprehensive follow-up care are some of the things that can be expected when you go to Iranian hospitals or doctors.
Experts are of the view that medical tourism in Iran is a win-win opportunity both for the country and foreign patients, as they are offered affordable yet quality treatment services and the country gains considerable foreign currency.
Apart from medical Ffeld, stepping foot onto Iranian soil and immersing oneself in its vibrant tapestry of traditions, history, culture and hospitality offers an eye-opening experience that defies media stereotypes, suggesting that reality for almost all visitors feeling this culturally rich land is distinctly different.
In fact, hospitality is not just a custom in Iran, it’s a way of life. From the bustling bazaars of Tehran to the serene gardens of Shiraz, visitors are greeted with open arms, engaging in heartfelt conversations that transcend borders and politics. Shared meals with locals, conversations in tea houses and encounters at historical landmarks all contribute to a complicated understanding that cannot be captured in many news stories about the ancient country.
Combining a medical journey with a unique travel experience can make the healing process even more memorable.
The writer is a political commentator