International Trade in Services.pdf - DSpace at Khazar University

Health without Borders 105
Mode 2
The treatment of patients abroad helps alleviate some of the domestic human and
infrastructure resource constraints. The case of Oman is typical of a developing
country with low medical density that needs to send patients abroad, at least
in the short term, until adequate treatment can be provided locally (box 4.1). In
Oman and in a number of other countries, the traveling patient can seek
reimbursement if the treatment is not available locally. This sponsoring is costly,
however, and not all countries can afford such schemes. In addition, in many
developing countries, medical travel remains driven by a lack of confidence in
Box 4.1: Case Study: Remedying Health Shortages through Trade
under Modes 4 and 2, Oman
Oman is an upper-middle-income, resource-rich, labor-importing country. In 2003,
the Ministry of Health employed 18,558 professionals, of whom almost 40 percent
were foreigners, including up to 76 percent of the physicians (figure 4.1). Most health
administrators are Omani nationals. In 2003, there were also 2,838 health prof -
essionals employed in the private sector, and 95 percent of these were foreigners.
Most of the foreign professionals came from the Arab Republic of Egypt, India, Iraq,
Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sudan.
Figure 4.1. Foreign Professionals Working in the Public Health
Sector, Oman, 2003
100
90
percentage of workforce
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
physicians dentists pharmacists nurses assistant
pharmacists
total
workforce
in Ministry
of Health
Omani
foreign professionals
(Box continues on the following page.)