Arab patients to visit local hospitals for treatment beginning next year

Four major hospitals in Korea have signed an agreement with the health authorities of Abu Dhabi, paving the way for the oil-rich Arab nation to more easily send patients here from next year.

It is the first time that a foreign country has formed a pact with local medical institutions on a government level, a deal expected to spur an influx of foreign patients here. 

The four hospitals are Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Asan Medical Center and Samsung Medical Center.

The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Seoul with the presence of representatives from the ministry, the four hospitals and Abu Dhabi.

Korea’s health ministry arranged the agreement between the hospitals and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), forecasting the economic benefits from the deal to reach 60 billion won ($52 million) a year.