Bangladesh has started looking toward Pakistan as an alternative to India for nearly 800,000 patients who travel abroad for medical treatment each year, representing a healthcare market worth more than $6 billion.
In this regard, high-level contacts have been established between officials of the two countries to facilitate an easier visa policy, improve air connectivity and provide easier access to Pakistani hospitals.
Regional Politics and Impact of the 2024 Political Change
Historically, Bangladeshi patients have long travelled to India for treatment because of geographical proximity, lower treatment costs and longstanding hospital links.
However, the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, followed by strained relations between Dhaka and New Delhi and restrictions on Indian visa services, disrupted this traditional medical travel system.
This political change has opened new avenues for Pakistan and Bangladesh, two brotherly Muslim countries, to improve bilateral relations and expand cooperation in various fields, with medical tourism being the latest development.
High-Level Talks and Pakistan’s Assurance
The Bangladeshi High Commissioner held an important meeting with the Federal Health Secretary and the Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme, sharing details of Bangladesh’s outbound healthcare market.
During the meeting, the Bangladeshi side requested easier visa access for patients, improved air connectivity and effective mechanisms to ensure that its patients could easily access Pakistan’s quality healthcare institutions.
The Federal Health Secretary assured the High Commissioner of Pakistan’s full cooperation and said the Ministry of Health would work with relevant institutions to remove all obstacles to medical travel.
Both sides agreed to finalise the Pakistan-Bangladesh Health Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding soon to establish an institutional framework for cooperation in health, health tourism and universal health coverage.
Pakistan’s Heal in Pakistan Initiative and Business Opportunities
According to the head of the Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme, Bangladesh’s 800,000 patients and $6 billion annual healthcare market offer a major opportunity for Pakistan’s medical tourism sector.
If Pakistan succeeds in attracting just one-quarter of this market, approximately 200,000 patients, it could generate an estimated $1.5 billion in revenue.
Under the government’s Heal in Pakistan initiative, Pakistan is preparing a national health tourism policy and roadmap. A healthcare roadshow in Bangladesh is also planned to introduce Pakistani hospitals, medical specialists and modern healthcare facilities.
A patient facilitation and grievance-redressal system is also being developed in Pakistan, while Pakistan has offered to share its Health Card Programme experience with Bangladesh.
Experts’ Views and Global Examples
Medical tourism expert Dr Zakiuddin Ahmed said Pakistan could become an excellent alternative for Bangladeshi patients due to its highly trained doctors, specialists and hospitals offering advanced treatment at lower costs.
He stressed that this would require an organised international marketing strategy. Citing Türkiye as an example, he said medical expertise, easy medical visas, strong air connectivity and internationally recognised hospitals are essential for success.
Changing Regional Dynamics and Future of Medical Tourism
Bangladesh turning toward Pakistan instead of India is not merely a medical choice; it is also a reflection of changing political alignments in the region.
Pakistan has significant talent in the medical sector and world-class institutions, but the lack of international marketing has always remained a challenge.
If Pakistan genuinely makes visas easier for Bangladeshi patients and restores direct air links, it could not only open a new era in the economic and trade relations between the two countries but also bring substantial foreign exchange and growth to Pakistan’s healthcare industry.
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