To get medical treatment in South Africa
When a Gabonese family has to seek medical care abroad, Europe is not the only option. South Africa is closer, often less expensive, and has a developed private hospital sector. We organise the trip, in French.
● A PRADeXPERIENCE service · organisation of your medical stay, in French
You look after healing. We'll look after the rest.
Medical travel abroad involves putting together a file, finding a facility, getting a visa, translating documents, accommodation, transfers, and a language you do not speak — all while worrying about someone you love.
We don’t treat anyone. We remove the barriers between your family and the doctors, who are the ones providing treatment.
What we are not
Okoumé is not a health facility and does not employ any health professionals. We do not make any diagnoses, recommend any treatments or advise on the course of action to take. These decisions belong to doctors — yours in Gabon, and the one who will treat you in South Africa. Our work is organisation: procedures, logistics, language and coordination between the two.
What happens during a treatment stay?
The file and the request
Your doctor in Gabon outlines the treatment required. We prepare the file and have the documents translated by specialist translators.
The establishment and the specialist
We list healthcare facilities and practitioners who meet the patient’s needs, along with their qualifications. Doctors consult with one another; the clinical decision rests with them.
Acceptance and approval
The South African institution has confirmed that it is able to accommodate you. This letter is a prerequisite for the medical treatment visa, which we are arranging with you.
The stay and the return journey
Flights, suitable accommodation, transfers, interpreting during appointments, followed by the forwarding of the report to your doctor in Gabon for follow-up.
Four guides to help you prepare for your visit
Each step has its own page, setting out the exact procedures, timeframes and official sources.
Medical treatment visa
The visa category for medical treatment, the mandatory letter of acceptance, and the pitfall for accompanying persons.
Understanding visas →Choosing a hospital
How organisations and specialists are selected, and how to check a professional registration.
See the method →Document and translation
What your doctor needs to pass on, how the documents are translated, and how your data is protected.
Prepare the file →Cost and accommodation
How to read a hospital quote, what it does not cover, and our administration fee.
Estimate the budget →How we are paid, and why it matters
This is a question that should be put to any medical intermediary, and we prefer to answer it before we are asked.
| Okoumé | |
|---|---|
| Do we receive a commission from the hospitals? | No. Never, under any circumstances. |
| Do we receive a commission from doctors? | No. South African regulations prohibit this, and we would not apply for one. |
| How are we paid? | By a organisational fee paid by the family, given in advance and in writing. |
| Who pays for the treatment? | You, directly to the establishment. We never hold onto the funds intended for treatment. |
This decision has one simple consequence: we have no financial interest in referring you to one facility rather than another. This is the only framework within which our advice can be honest, and it is also what is required by the South African medical code of ethics, which prohibits incentives linked to patient referrals.
And what we will never do
| We are making | We do not |
|---|---|
| Compile and organise the administrative file | To make a diagnosis or give a medical opinion |
| Coordinate the translation by professionals | Translating your medical documents ourselves |
| Presenting establishments and practitioners | Choosing the «best» doctor for your case |
| Connect doctors directly | To intervene in a clinical decision |
| Put together the visa application dossier | Guaranteeing that a visa will be issued or promising a specific processing time |
| Organise flights, accommodation, transfers, interpretation | To collect or hold funds intended for care |
| Send the report to your GP | To promise a result, a cure or a prognosis |
No treatment abroad guarantees a result. We will never make promises about the outcome of a treatment, and we encourage you to be wary of any intermediary that does.
What is included in the support
A single French-speaking contact person, from the initial discussion until the return to Gabon.
- Preparing the application file with your GP
- Translation coordination by specialist translators
- Presentation of establishments and specialists suited to the request
- Direct connection between doctors
- Medical treatment visa application, and accompanying persons' visas
- Flights, adapted accommodation, transfers and on-site interpreting
- Forwarding of the report to your doctor for follow-up upon return
The corridor, at the most difficult moment
Okoumé has been supporting Gabonese families in South Africa for years: studies, relocation, travel. This service applies the same approach to a situation where organisation matters even more.
- In FrenchEvery document, every appointment, every interaction with the hospital translated and explained.
- Eat inWe live in Cape Town. We are physically present during your stay.
- Without hidden agendaNo establishment fees. A clear fee, paid by you, announced in advance.
Good to know
Can one get medical treatment in South Africa when coming from Gabon?
Does Okoumé choose the doctor for me?
Does Okoumé receive a commission from hospitals or doctors?
Do you translate medical records yourselves?
Can my family come with me?
How long does it take to organise a medical trip?
Is your doctor suggesting treatment abroad?
Let's discuss it. The first chat is free and without obligation — and the sooner it takes place, the more leeway we have to get things right.
