It was the year 2003, when two-year-old Noor Fatima arrived in India with her parents on the Lahore-Delhi bus service to undergo a heart surgery. Noor’s case opened up a new avenue for India’s healthcare sector, awakening people to exploit the potential that lies in medical tourism even more. Now in 2008, we are looking at around 170,000 foreign patients coming in annually, with the huge medical tourism market around US $300 million.
THE INDUSTRY
Medical tourism refers to traveling to different countries for healthcare purposes. The healthcare sector and the tourism industry are working together in facilitating this process. Medical tourism is rapidly catching on, especially in western countries, as they have to put up with exorbitant healthcare charges and long waiting lists. Also, with international traveling becoming easier and affordable and with improvements in healthcare technology and infrastructure across the world, medical tourism is fast becoming a preferable way to mingle leisure with health and wellness.
India is a popular destination for medical tourism as in India there is low cost treatment, compared to western standards with high quality of treatment. Beside that the cost of stay and the fare to and from India is also cheap. India produces around 30,000 doctors and nurses each year and is known worldwide for its qualified and competent professionals in this field. Even in their own countries, patients prefer consulting an Indian doctor, as they are on the forefront of medical care.
VISA FORMALITIES
An added advantage is the fact that the Indian government issues a medical visa for those who come in for medical treatment. Up to two family members or attendants can also be granted a visa, to accompany the patient. The visa is valid for a year or the period of treatment, depending on whichever is less and can be extended for another year. It also enables a tourist to travel to India three times in a year. India’s National Health Policy clearly states that the treatment of foreign patients is legally an export and eligible for all fiscal incentives extended to export earnings.
JOB OPPURTUNITIES
Ayurvedic and medical tourism industries are growing at an immense pace. Job opportunities for about 40,000 professionals are expected to arise in these fields. Medical tourism can be a much bigger business, provided we have proper infrastructure and networking amongst hospitals, hotels and tourism agencies.
SPECIAL PACKAGES
Apollo Hospitals enterprises are estimated to be the largest medical corporation in India that specially caters to medical tourists. Patients can avail of package deals that include flights, hotels, treatment and a post-operative vacation. Other popular hospitals include the Escorts Hospital and Research Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences and Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.
TREATMENT WITH PLEASURE
If a patient is coming on a vacation or for a business trip it is more feasible to get this done, but a trip made exclusively for dental care is not pocket-friendly at all. Patients are also coming to India for heart surgeries, hip and knee replacements, infertility treatments, as well as for rehabilitation. After a treatment, patients usually prefer going to a place that is green, outside the city and is serene, where they can just sit back and relax.