Medical Tourism in Developing Countries

132 ● Medical Tourism in Developing Countriesto the wellness services they offer. Kim Ross described the many possibilities:Native American traditional healing adapted for exfoliations and wraps,massages with heated stones, and spiritual encounters such as the JavaneseLulor, a body cleansing based on Balinese wedding rituals. 129 AncientHawaiian, Asian, and holistic healing arts are being combined with hightechmedicine throughout Hawaii. 130Less developed countries are also promoting their own versions of alternativemedicine. Chile and Jordan tout natural medicine from their naturalwater springs. Tours are offered into the Brazilian Amazon for people interestedin the indigenous medicinal herbs and traditional healing practices. 131The Philippine Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan claimed his countrycan provide health tourism since, “Health and wellness using traditionalhealing methods such as massage, healing and herbs is very much part ofthe Asian culture.” 132 Even in Africa, the development of traditional medicineis viewed as an important step in economic development. 133In order to capture a larger share of the market, both public and privatesectors in developing countries are promoting traditional healing side byside with high-tech medicine. 134 These countries have used yoga, ayurveda,and siddha, alternative, holistic, and naturopathic medicine for centuries.For the Westerners it is exotic, and receiving exotic care in its home environmentmakes it twice as exotic (and also authentic).India is exploiting its niche in traditional medicines such as unani andayurveda. Homeopathic and holistic health-care centers have sprung upthroughout the country and the ayurvedic school has a center in Kottakkal(Kerala) that is especially popular with Western tourists who are drawn toits long history. Indeed, all forms of traditional medicine are part of India’shistory. The Rig Veda and Atharva Veda, texts from 5000 b.c., have referencesto health and diseases. Ayurvedic texts like Charak Samhita andSushruta Samhita were documented about 1000 years b.c. The term“ayurveda,” meaning the Science of Life, deals with healthy living acrossone’s lifespan and across body, brain, and spirit. It also includes therapiesfor some illnesses. Unani seeks bodily equilibrium with one’s temperamentand the environment in an effort to maintain good health. Similarly, yogahas a long tradition of promoting wellness for body and soul as it seeks topromote balance and harmony within individuals.Acupuncture has been an integral part of Chinese civilization for almost5,000 years. It consists of the insertion of a variety of different-sized needlesacross the body in order to open up pathways for the transmission ofenergy. That in turn brings balance to the physiology and promotes wellbeing.Today in China, Western medicine is practiced side by side withtraditional medicine. Students study and practice it, taking advantage of