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Today a growing number of patients with deep pockets from affluent countries are searching for destinations with alternative forms of medical and health treatments\u00a0to further extent their stay on this earth. Dominica is uniquely qualified to capitalize on this booming niche market of health tourism.<\/p>\n
But to achieve this long term and sustainable development goal, the Nature Isle must be marketed as a health tourism destination. The unique attractiveness of our environment can lure health tourists from all over the globe who are seeking alternative and holistic health treatment. Also, a massive local education campaign should be waged to impress upon all Dominicans that we do have resources that rich international people envy.<\/p>\n
Of course, the full development of this niche market is certainly not going to come easy and fast. With proper, long term, focus planning, collaboration, commitment, political will and strong effective (less myopic) leadership, the goals will have far greater chances of succeeding.<\/p>\n
It is imperative that the government (of the day) works closely with the hotel, non-profit (NGOs) business, medical communities, and other groups to devise a carefully planned long-term strategic plan of action. Health tourism is not very different than beach, eco or traditional tourism.<\/p>\n
The various government ministries, departments and NGOs including law enforcement, village councils, conservationists and others will have to be a vital part in the planning aspect of this segment of the industry.<\/p>\n
But Health Tourism \u00a0is a bit different from the other forms of tourism due to the fact that it is a form of telemedicine and like conventional medicine, there are in inherent ethical rules, codes of conduct and practice guidelines and patterns.<\/p>\n
The medical community and the ministries of health, agriculture and the Division of Forestry and others should explore and continue to investigate the medicinal values of our natural resources such as the Sulphur Springs, Boiling Lake, hot springs, waterfalls and tropical rain forests.<\/p>\n
The holistic healing powers of plants and herbs such as ‘bazalick,’ ‘seimeicountrar, (teas)’ ‘tabac zobie’ (jumbie’s tobacco) and others should be continuously promoted. Even the relaxing traditional Jing-Ping music should be promoted as a healing dance like the classical music of great composers like Mozart and Beethoven.<\/p>\n
This use of natural plants, herbs and other forms of healing will only get bigger as people continue to seek more alternative and less invasive treatment modalities to cure their illnesses.<\/p>\n
A few years ago, the WHO began a long-term project of formally chronicling the medicinal and healing values of plants and herbs in most traditional cultures that have proven to have high healing rates for a variety of illnesses over the centuries.<\/p>\n
While along these waterways and in the interior and rain forests, members of the medical and local communities will be responsible for the conventional and unconventional medical treatments which patients receive.<\/p>\n
Of course, the local medical doctors and health care workers will have to communicate with the patient’s doctors back in their home countries. This can easily be accomplished in real time via Face time (cell) telephone, satellite and\/or Internet based.<\/p>\n
Government can use its foreign missions and official representatives elsewhere to help market the health tourism plan. Dominican expatriates with business, marketing, medical, professional backgrounds, and others can work closely with these missions to arrange speaking engagements at rotary clubs, conventions, banquets, and at other high profile and visible functions abroad to lobby and advertise the project.<\/p>\n
Where is the startup capital for this project coming from? This writer suggests that grants from the European Union (EU) and other international donor organizations should be requested for a pilot study to jump-start this venture. The grant proposal should clearly outline that the project as a true government, private-public-non-governmental organization (NGO) partnership.<\/p>\n
International donors and philanthropic organizations are more comfortable when governments partner with organizations for developmental projects. These donors hold the view that when there is true collaboration a higher level of oversight and accountability. The best, brightest, and most committed and qualified citizens (not necessarily political appointees), play key leadership roles in developmental projects assuring its success.<\/p>\n
Nothing is more therapeutic and appealing to a person with failing health and high stress than finding an effective and efficient way to reverse that trend and maximize on their health and longevity. Nothing could be more appealing than viewing a beautiful late afternoon sunset at Calibishe bay while quenching one\u2019s thirst from a bottle of pure fresh Dominican mountain water.<\/p>\n
Nothing is more healing to a cancer patient than bathing in the early morning mineral rich La Riviere Blanc (White River), viewing the early morning sunrise at Point Mulatre bay amidst the gentle blowing northeast trade winds. Or sipping from a glass of merlot or a warm cup of ‘seimeicountrar ‘ tea in the early morning aroma of the Sulphur Springs or standing on the edge of a waterfall or hot spring.<\/p>\n
That can only mean plane loads of deep pocket passages returning to Dominica with money to spend as they seek that magic cure. If modest measurable financial and international publicity goals of health tourism can be achieved in a decade or less, it will certainly mean more money for our people and sustainable development for the economy of our island home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Today a growing number of patients with deep pockets from affluent countries are searching for destinations with alternative forms of medical and health treatments\u00a0to further extent their stay on this earth. Dominica is uniquely qualified to capitalize on this booming…","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":283933,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[13,17,235,9,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-283932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-health","category-homepage-carousel","category-news","category-tourism-publicity"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n