| The Government is taking serious initiatives in this | | | | 1,50,000 medical tourists have visited India. |
| regards and plans to start overseas marketing of India | | | | What makes it so attractive? Primary is the cost |
| as a medical tourismdestination. The Medical tourism is | | | | factor. The medical costs in India are a fraction of the |
| a term coined which covers patients travelling across | | | | costs in the US/Europe. For instance, a heart surgery |
| the globe for tourism purposes clubbing their | | | | costs $6,000 in India as against $30,000 in the US. |
| requirements for treatment of acute illness, elective | | | | Similarly, a bone marrow transplant costs $26,000 in |
| surgeries such as cardiology, hip replacement, knee | | | | India as compared to $2,50,000 in the US. Foreign |
| replacement,etc. government of India is of the opinion | | | | patients throng Indian hospitals to pass up the long |
| that by marketing | | | | waiting lists and queues in their native countries. The |
| India as a global medical tourism destination, it could | | | | NHS patients in UK have to wait for months for Hip |
| capitalise on the low-cost, high-quality medical care | | | | Knee replacements surgery. Indian hospitals provide |
| available in the country. India, touted as one of the | | | | immediate attention to patients rather than asking them |
| favourite destinations for information technology | | | | to wait for several months like in most western |
| majors, is currently emerging as the chosen destination | | | | countries. |
| for medical or health tourism. The Government of India, | | | | India's top notch private hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Max |
| State tourism boards, travel agents, tour operators, | | | | HealthCare have gained international recognition for |
| hotel companies and private sector hospitals are | | | | their state-of-the-art facilities and diagnostic centres |
| exploring the medical tourism industry for tremendous | | | | besides unsurpassed technical skills. Their technology |
| opportunities. They are seeking to capitalise on the | | | | and procedures are state of the art and on par with |
| opportunities by combining the country's popular leisure | | | | hospitals in developed nations. Foreign patients can get |
| tourism with medical tourism. | | | | attractive package deals including flights, transfers, |
| Industry projections? Statistics estimate that the | | | | hotels, treatment and post-operative vacation for their |
| medical tourism industry in India is currently worth $333 | | | | medical visits to India. India has some world class |
| million (Rs 1,500 crore) while a study by CII-McKinsey | | | | SPAs and Ayurvedic facilities which help recuperation |
| estimates that the country could well earn Rs | | | | and healing. |
| 5,000-10,000 crore by the year 2012. The Indian | | | | Some Top India Hospitals Include Apollo, Fortis, Max |
| medical tourism industry, growing at an annualised rate | | | | Healthcare, Escorts, AIIMs, Wockhardt, etc. A few |
| of 30 percent, caters to patients chiefly from the US, | | | | good Medical tourism providers are TaMedical.com, |
| Europe and Africa. Although in its nascent stage, the | | | | India4health.com, and |
| industry is outpacing similar industries of other countries | | | | With time more and more visitors will flock to this part |
| such as Greece, South Africa, Jordan, Malaysia, | | | | of the globe for their treatment and relaxtion needs. |
| Philippines and Singapore. In the year 2004, Approx | | | | |