Read on to know the whys and hows
T P Venu
On any given day, as one walks through the reception at the Apollo Hospital or the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) in Hyderabad one is bound to bump into Sudanese, Bangladeshis, Iranians, Omani and nationals from Uzbekistan. In Chennai, on certain days, you would find more foreign patients than Indians in some hospitals as the city caters to 40% of foreign patients who come for cardiac, bone marrow transplants and hip surgeries. In Kochi, Maldivians make a bee-line as it is just over an hour by flight from Male’ the capital city.
Currently, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi and Hyderabad are popular for foreign nationals especially from Afro-Asian countries and with the Government of India keen on promoting India through ‘Heal in India’ campaign and marketing holistic healing and pitching Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy along with cost-effective healthcare services, quality diagnostic equipment and trained doctors for complex surgeries.
Govt push
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Ease visa and forex norms for these patients
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Under ‘Heal in India’, thirty-seven hospitals including thirty private hospitals across 17 cities have been identified to cater to Medical Value Travel (MVT)
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The Centre also plans to launch a one-stop online MVT portal, which will include mapping of all medical facilitators including government and private hospitals, booking of services, payments and post-operative services.
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The MVT portal will be integrated with India’s tourism website— Incredible India.
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Special provision of Medical Visa has been made for tourists travelling to India for healthcare purposes. This has been made available in 165 countries.
Huge Potential
Cancer treatment and organ transplant surgeries are 65-90% cheaper when compared to US, Europe, Australia or even Singapore. Equipment wise and quality of doctors, India is on par and even better than the western world in certain areas. Globally, the MVT market is projected to grow from $13.98 billion in 2021 to $53.51 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 21.1%. India with its rich tradition in Ayurveda and Naturopathy has the potential to attract people from all corners of the world. NITI Aayog estimates that the Indian economy could earn an additional $9 billion by 2026 from MVT and wellness tourism.
Currently, India, ranked tenth with a score of 69.80 on the Medical Tourism Index, offers over 200 types of medical services ranging from fertility treatments to skincare. The most sought-after treatments are
India has 40 healthcare facilities accredited to the Joint Commission International (JCI) and 1400 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH)-accredited hospitals. It also accounts for 6% of the global MVT market.
Presently, majority of patients come from Afro-Asian countries and the Middle Eastern nations. India’s northern regions especially the state of Assam has huge potential to develop as a major medical tourism hub as Guwahati, the capital is connected to six international airports all reachable within two hours. Bangkok, Myanmar, Dhaka, Kaula Lumpur and Kathmandu are close by.
Tata Group has signed a MoU with the Assam Government and is establishing 17 cancer hospitals. More than nine are up and running. Patients from Iran, Iraq, Oman, Maldives, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Sudan and Afghanistan visit India for treatment.
With each passing day, India’s traditional system of medicine for treatment of various ailments is growing in prominence. Kerala took the lead in the last two decades projecting Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy. The union government too has been keen on promoting traditional medicine. The Centre launched ‘Heal in India’ campaign to market the nation as a wellness and medical tourism destination. The Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) ministry has been in the forefront. The launch of e-visas for MVT travellers from 156 nations and has also accredited AYUSH centres, formalising their status in the Indian medical industry. There has never been a better time to promote medical tourism in India.
