Between August 6 – 9, 2019, Lviv Region hosted the first ever Medical Tourism Forum, during which industry experts and professional medical tourism mediators from the Middle Eastern, Asian and Caucasian countries visited a number of medical institutions in West Ukraine and participated in a conference, where they shared experiences and opinions on the development and promotion of medical tourism in Lviv Region and Ukraine in general.
During the conference, held on August 8 at Edem Resort, panel discussions focused on the prevailing trends and prospects of Lviv Region in terms of medical tourism, treatment and rehabilitation, including in cases involving neurological disorders, multidisciplinary approaches to neurorehabilitation, etc. In his welcome address, Mr. Markiyan Malskyi, President of the Lviv Regional State Administration, drew on the importance of cooperation for the development of the local medical tourism industry.
“Today’s Forum shows that the administration takes a very active and clear stance on the development of medical tourism. It is safe to say that this will be one of the priorities of regional development. Lviv Region has great potential in this area. International tourists who visit the region come not only for cultural and leisure purposes. These are also tourists who travel to improve their health. Therefore, we are aware that this represents a strong chance for the economic development of the region, an impetus for the dynamic progress of the tourism industry, as well as an opportunity for Ukrainian doctors to get fair options at home,” said Mr. Malskyi.
During the conference, a memorandum was signed between the Lviv Regional State Administration and the Public Association Lviv Medical Tourism Cluster to pool and steep up efforts on the effective development and promotion of medical and health tourism and related services in Lviv Region. According to Mr. Emin Çakmak, President of the Turkish Healthcare Travel Council and Honorary President of the Global Healthcare Travel Council, support at the government level is an important prerequisite for the development of medical tourism.
“I’m happy to see that President Volodymyr Zelensky is serious about his approach to the development of this area. It is at this level that we developed this trend in Turkey. Lviv Region is fortunate to have abundant natural resources and medicinal waters. You have the potential and, what’s more important, professionals, excellent doctors and experienced medical employees. Make the most of your resources,” said Çakmak.
During the second part of the conference, representatives of medical institutions of Lviv Region had the opportunity to showcase their clinics and to acquaint buyers (medical tourism mediators) with their main operation areas.
“Our results, our patients, are our calling card worldwide,” said neurologist Mykhailo Hordiyevych about results of treatment based on the Professor Kozyavkin Method (Intensive Neurophysiological Rehabilitation System).
After the conference, participants had a chance to continue communicating in B2B format to identify potential common areas for cooperation and the development of joint projects.
Special thanks are due to the organizers, including the Lviv Regional State Administration, the Ukrainian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Ukrainian Medical Tourism Association, for the excellent and high-quality preparation of the event!
We believe that this Forum will give an impetus to and constitute a major step forward in the dynamic development of the region’s medical industry.