Every year millions of people from the United States fly over to exotic locations in India for both medical treatments and vacations. India is famous all over the world for its top notch hospitals and world class treatments. There are many countries that specialize in medical tourism but they excel in one or two medical fields. India on the other hand has specialization in nearly every medical field like joint replacement, neurology, plastic surgery, pediatrics, plastic surgery, organ transplant, Ayurveda etc.
Another reason why India is emerging as a tourism hub of the world is that the country offers the finest of medical technologies at a lower cost. India has well certified, trained and experienced medical professionals who offer the best services at par with the international standards. But when it comes to pricing, it is one tenth of the medical cost in the West.
Experts believe that the cheaper costs are giving India competitive advantage over any other developed country in the field of medical tourism. Today, Kerala is the only state in India that practices Ayurveda with all their heart and soul. The climate and the exotic locations make Kerala a perfect recreational spot for the tourists and is the best suited place for the restorative Ayurveda programs.
According to the recent study, Indian medical tourism market is expected to double by the year 2020. Growth in the Medical tourism can prove really beneficial for the economy. It will not only increase the employment opportunities but also prove beneficial to the pharma and the medical equipment industry.
With so much development in the technology and the ease in the communication sector, the legal formalities for the patients has become really easy. The online healthcare industry is quite active and makes it easier for the patients to travel abroad for treatments. For further ease in the procedure, a checklist has been made available on the embassies website that clears all the visa requirements and the legalities to avoid any kind of delay or clearance problem on arrival.
India is already a hotspot for leisure tourism. The country features amazing attractions like high mountains, historic monuments, scenic beauties, pilgrim centers and much more. The warm hospitality to the tourists proves as a plus point for them and is another reason why medical patients seek to come to India for recreational and wellness purposes.
In an industry which was dominated by more developed countries like Malaysia, Singapore and the United States of America, India is shifting gears for good and is making its presence felt, said Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
More than 70 countries and 600 buyers from Asia, UK, the US, Europe, Middle-East and even Africa will be a part of the third edition of ‘Advantage Healthcare India’ Summit, being held on October 12-14 in Bengaluru. India is being seen as a leading global healthcare destination, and the purpose of the summit is to promote the same idea and to streamline the healthcare services in the country simultaneously.
In the conference organized by FICCI, Rita Teaotia said that the changes in the healthcare framework that the government has brought in are the reasons for the success of the country as a healthcare destination.
“Last November, the Government of India brought in some changes in the visa regime which made it very easy for the foreign healthcare seekers to get visa and come to India to get affordable medical treatment,” Teaotia said. She also said that if anyone is facing problems regarding visa or in visiting India for healthcare, she will happy to rectify the issue and support them.
She also talked about the importance of the involvement of the domestic healthcare industry of the country and to examine and study the interventions that can boost the progress of the Indian healthcare sector internationally.
FICCI Secretary General, A Didar Singh, was also present and talked about the million-dollar opportunity that has presented itself. He said that to make sure that this USD 9 billion opportunity doesn’t slip out, India needs to create propositions for the foreign patients that are unsurpassed – focus on issues like clinical outcomes, accreditation of the hospitals, alternative medicine, affordability of the procedures, tourism practicality, and patient-centric approach will be important.
The purpose and design of the third edition of Advantage Healthcare India is to simply put forward the capabilities of India as a medical tourism destination and to create healthy relations with other nations to boost the current medical structure of the country.
According to a recent report released by FICCI, more than 5 lakh foreign patients visit India for medical treatments every year – the popularity of Indian healthcare around the world has made the country one of the primary medical tourism destinations in Asia.