The Republic of Moldova, represented by the Medical Tourism Association, will hold the presidency of the Global Healthcare Travel Council (GHTC) for the next two years. The decision was taken at the GHTC General Assembly, IPN reports.

Of the three candidates - Germany, Saudi Arabia and Moldova - the latter obtained a majority of votes. The Assembly was attended by representatives of more than 50 countries of the world, of which 22 countries had the right to vote.

“Our commitment is based on three pillars: expansion, innovation and accessibility. We aim to build a global medical tourism ecosystem that would be inclusive, ethical and sustainable. It is equally important to promote the latest technologies and treatment methods, to support research and development in the medical field,” Natalia Ciobanu, president of the Medical Tourism Association of Moldova, said in her manifesto.

According to Andrei Revenco, executive director of the Medical Tourism Association of Moldova, the holding of the GHTC presidecy is an important step in promoting medical tourism in Moldova, but also in increasing the country’s visibility internationally. Moldova has a huge potential in the field of medical tourism, which must also be an engine of economic development of the Republic of Moldova.

Moldova has four medical fields that hold interest for foreign patients and are appreciated internationally, namely: dentistry, in vitro fertilization, plastic surgery, and cardiology.

The Medical Tourism Association of Moldova includes a number of private clinics, travel agencies and medical tourism facilitators.