Oath of Hippocrates .. or of the Hipocrites?

Why not profit from the sick, in an age of globalization in which private medical centers especially in India and Southeast Asia such as Malaysia may offer a fraction of the cost what the United States is offering in say, heart surgery. The best hospitals are now for the rich from abroad, offering the local the cheapest service and generic prescriptions. Ah.. the benefits of globalization: the movement of peoples, services, finance, technology, and now .. of the medical tourists. Let the poor show their insurance cards at the Emergency Room counter..no insurance, no service!

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NEWSREPORT

Kuala Lumpur Attracting Healthy Attention
Malaysia in world's top five medical tourism destinations
Malaysia in world's top five medical tourism destinations
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By eTN | May 28, 2008

Malaysia is among the world’s top five medical tourism destinations for medical tourists and foreign investors, reports online investment news source Nuwire Investors. Selected based on the quality and affordability of medical care and receptiveness to foreign investment, Malaysia came in third behind Panama and Brazil, and was followed by Costa Rica and India.

According to Nuwire Investors, Malaysia’s medical tourism industry has seen staggering growth in recent years. From 2001 to 2006, the number of foreigners seeking healthcare services in Malaysia almost tripled from 75,210 patients to 296,687 patients. The large volume of patients in 2006 brought approximately USD59 million or RM203.66 million in revenue. This trend is likely to grow at a rate of 30 percent a year until 2010, projects the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM).

Much of Malaysia’s attraction lies in the wide array of medical services and procedures including dental, cosmetic and cardiac surgeries at significantly lower costs compared with the United States. Nuwire Investors also states that foreign medical tourists and investors are attracted by Malaysia’s favourable exchange rate, political and economic stability, and high rate of literacy.

According to statistics quoted on Hospitals-Malaysia.org, the country also offers a comprehensive network of hospitals and clinics, with 88.5 percent of the population living within three miles of a public health clinic or private practitioner. Under Malaysia’s current health tourism promotion drive, 35 private hospitals in the country have been identified to promote Malaysia as a health tourist destination.

Malaysia’s growing reputation on the world healthcare map has also been recognized by a number of international and regional medical associations. This was most evident when Kuala Lumpur was selected to host one of the world’s largest medical congresses, the XVIII FIGO World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).

Held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in November 2006, FIGO attracted a total of 8,294 delegates from 130 countries. The success and calibre of FIGO spurred an influx of interest from global medical associations, and the Centre went on as host venue for a number of high profile conferences.

Speaking on behalf of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, General Manager Mr, Peter Brokenshire said that international and regional medical associations are becoming increasingly aware of Malaysia’s drawing card as a value-for-money destination with professional world-class service which does not just extend to medical tourism but to the convention and exhibition market as well.

“Our strategic location, modern infrastructure and internationally recognized quality standards make Malaysia, and Kuala Lumpur an attractive destination for leisure, business and medicine. The Centre will continue to work closely with our strategic partners Tourism Malaysia, Malaysian Airlines (MAS), Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) to ensure we take advantage of the fantastic opportunities that medical tourism is opening up,” Mr Brokenshire concluded.

SOURCE: http://www.eturbonews.com/2692/malaysia-worlds-top-five-medical-tourism-dest


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Oath of Hippocrates ... or of the Hippocrites?






Oath of Hippocrates

In the original Greek, it read:
“ Ὄμνυμι Ἀπόλλωνα ἰητρὸν, καὶ Ἀσκληπιὸν, καὶ Ὑγείαν, καὶ Πανάκειαν, καὶ θεοὺς πάντας τε καὶ πάσας, ἵστορας ποιεύμενος, ἐπιτελέα ποιήσειν κατὰ δύναμιν καὶ κρίσιν ἐμὴν ὅρκον τόνδε καὶ ξυγγραφὴν τήνδε.

Ἡγήσασθαι μὲν τὸν διδάξαντά με τὴν τέχνην ταύτην ἴσα γενέτῃσιν ἐμοῖσι, καὶ βίου κοινώσασθαι, καὶ χρεῶν χρηίζοντι μετάδοσιν ποιήσασθαι, καὶ γένος τὸ ἐξ ωὐτέου ἀδελφοῖς ἴσον ἐπικρινέειν ἄῤῥεσι, καὶ διδάξειν τὴν τέχνην ταύτην, ἢν χρηίζωσι μανθάνειν, ἄνευ μισθοῦ καὶ ξυγγραφῆς, παραγγελίης τε καὶ ἀκροήσιος καὶ τῆς λοιπῆς ἁπάσης μαθήσιος μετάδοσιν ποιήσασθαι υἱοῖσί τε ἐμοῖσι, καὶ τοῖσι τοῦ ἐμὲ διδάξαντος, καὶ μαθηταῖσι συγγεγραμμένοισί τε καὶ ὡρκισμένοις νόμῳ ἰητρικῷ, ἄλλῳ δὲ οὐδενί.

Διαιτήμασί τε χρήσομαι ἐπ' ὠφελείῃ καμνόντων κατὰ δύναμιν καὶ κρίσιν ἐμὴν, ἐπὶ δηλήσει δὲ καὶ ἀδικίῃ εἴρξειν.

Οὐ δώσω δὲ οὐδὲ φάρμακον οὐδενὶ αἰτηθεὶς θανάσιμον, οὐδὲ ὑφηγήσομαι ξυμβουλίην τοιήνδε. Ὁμοίως δὲ οὐδὲ γυναικὶ πεσσὸν φθόριον δώσω. Ἁγνῶς δὲ καὶ ὁσίως διατηρήσω βίον τὸν ἐμὸν καὶ τέχνην τὴν ἐμήν.

Οὐ τεμέω δὲ οὐδὲ μὴν λιθιῶντας, ἐκχωρήσω δὲ ἐργάτῃσιν ἀνδράσι πρήξιος τῆσδε.

Ἐς οἰκίας δὲ ὁκόσας ἂν ἐσίω, ἐσελεύσομαι ἐπ' ὠφελείῃ καμνόντων, ἐκτὸς ἐὼν πάσης ἀδικίης ἑκουσίης καὶ φθορίης, τῆς τε ἄλλης καὶ ἀφροδισίων ἔργων ἐπί τε γυναικείων σωμάτων καὶ ἀνδρῴων, ἐλευθέρων τε καὶ δούλων.

Ἃ δ' ἂν ἐν θεραπείῃ ἢ ἴδω, ἢ ἀκούσω, ἢ καὶ ἄνευ θεραπηίης κατὰ βίον ἀνθρώπων, ἃ μὴ χρή ποτε ἐκλαλέεσθαι ἔξω, σιγήσομαι, ἄῤῥητα ἡγεύμενος εἶναι τὰ τοιαῦτα.

Ὅρκον μὲν οὖν μοι τόνδε ἐπιτελέα ποιέοντι, καὶ μὴ ξυγχέοντι, εἴη ἐπαύρασθαι καὶ βίου καὶ τέχνης δοξαζομένῳ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐς τὸν αἰεὶ χρόνον. παραβαίνοντι δὲ καὶ ἐπιορκοῦντι, τἀναντία τουτέων.
”

Original, translated into English:[1]


“ I swear by Apollo, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath.

To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot.

Here's and interesting commercial on medical tourism. How much discounts will the locals get?

Medical Tourism - Cardiac Bypass surgery at 85% discount
Uploaded by Healthbase

PROMO VIDEO FOR MALAYSIAN MEDICAL TOURISM