Zimbabwe targets medical tourism through 2028 neurosurgery conference

Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor

ZIMBABWE aims to turn its growing specialist healthcare capacity into medical tourism opportunities after winning the bid to host the 2028 Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies Conference.

The conference will bring leading neurosurgeons to the country, fostering research collaboration, skills development and investment while positioning Zimbabwe as a destination for advanced medical care.

The 2028 conference presents an opportunity to put Zimbabwe’s neurosurgical expertise on the continental and international map, connecting local specialists with global knowledge and new research opportunities.

For the medical sector, the focus is on strengthening specialist skills, improving patient outcomes and expanding access to advanced treatment locally.

“Winning this bid provides an opportunity to showcase our research work. In fact, it stimulates the community to prepare by improving even on the current research work that is going on. We are going to get some of the most highly respected neurosurgeons coming through to Zimbabwe. They will come through, they will present their work, and we will have attendance of neurosurgeons locally and in the region. In fact, in the whole of Africa,” Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies president-elect Dr Aaron Musara said.

Beyond the medical benefits, the conference also creates an opportunity to link specialist healthcare with tourism, attracting delegates, encouraging investment and raising awareness of services available in Zimbabwe.

“The conference looks a lot more at training neurosurgeons to meet the global need for neurosurgeons, but with a focus on Africa. We have had a shortage of neurosurgeons for a very long time, and the focus of the association has been to train, so that’s an area where this has been driven so much, and then there’s the issue of improving patient care and lobbying for improvements in various places. This includes lobbying with manufacturers of equipment so that equipment can be supplied at more affordable rates.

“So the organisation itself has got a side organisation which is called the Cairns Foundation which focuses so much on medical equipment. This includes asking for cheaper equipment from manufacturers and also sourcing funding, especially for those institutions that do not have much, so that they can be able to offer services that are comparable even to higher centers. Hosting the conference helps Zimbabwe strengthen specialist skills, promote research and improve access to neuroservices for patients. So, we are going to get some of the most highly respected neurosurgeons coming through to Zimbabwe”

As preparations for the 2028 conference gather momentum, Zimbabwe has an opportunity to turn international medical engagement into lasting benefits-strengthening specialist healthcare, showcasing local expertise, and opening new possibilities for medical tourism and economic growth.

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