UAE soldiers to get medical treatment here
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Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) President Ko Kyung-hwa, right, and United Arab Emirates Commander of Joint Logistics Ishaq Saleh Al-Baloshi shake hands after signing a memorandum of understanding at its building in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Friday. / Courtesy of KHIDI
By Shim Jae-yun
Some 800 soldiers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and their families can now visit Korea to receive medical treatment.
The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) and the UAE Armed Forces signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to this effect, Friday. Under the terms of the agreement, active and retired servicemen and their relatives can receive treatment at four major medical institutes in Korea.
KHIDI President Ko Kyung-hwa and UAE Commander of Joint Logistics Ishaq Saleh Al-Baloshi signed the MOU at the KHIDI headquarters in Osong, North Chungcheong Province.
The institutes are Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and Asan Medical Center. A pilot project for the project kicked off in January with 10 patients from the UAE, three of whom have completed their treatment.
“The project has significant meaning as it paves the way for the domestic medical industry to go overseas, starting with the Middle East region,” said Yang Ji-young, a KHIDI researcher.
The MOU signing was a follow-up of bilateral agreement between the two countries made in November of last year when former President Lee Myung-bak was in the UAE on a state visit.
Korean physicians will also visit the UAE to conduct operations, as well as for training purposes. A u-health system will also be setup within the UAE armed forces.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates the domestic health institutes involved in the program will be able to earn between 9.6 billion won (approximately $8.6 million) to 45.6 billion won in extra revenue annually.
“Each UAE patient spent 12.37 million won on average in 2012 and some even spent up to 57 million won,” a ministry official said.
A similar agreement was reached between Seoul and health agencies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 2001-2002 resulting in 259 patients being treated so far.
The ministry and the institute earlier reached a deal with the Saudi government for Seoul to export medical facilities and equipment to the Middle Eastern country.
The ministry official expressed hopes the MOU will help facilitate the nation’s quest to expand medical services to global markets.