Medical Tourism also known as ‘health & wellness tourism’ refers to the phenomenon wherein people travel to select countries to avail medical assistance and/or treatment due to multiple reasons, namely, economic advantage, expertise & availability of legalized procedures that may be unavailable in their native country.
India’s booming Medical Tourism!
Besides being a tourist hot spot, India is also known for catering to the growing
demand of medical surgeries and consultations. What sets India apart from the rest
of the countries in this regard however, is the economic advantage it offers.
When the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj declared granting medical visas
to all the pending, deserving cases on the 19th of October, 2017, she was merely
reinstating the fact that India is increasingly becoming the favoured destination
for the foreign diaspora seeking medical assistance.
Why is India preferred over other countries for medical care/help?
1. Inexpensive compared to USA, UK and European healthcare system.
2. Indian hospitals catering to foreign nationals meet the USA-set health standards determined by FDA
(Food & Drug Administration) & JCA (Joint Commission Accreditation).
3. Most medical procedures, surgeries included; be they cosmetic, dental or medical are legal in India as may not necessarily be the case elsewhere.
4. Experienced
physicians and surgeons who have dealt with almost all cases first hand.
5. Alternate
therapies and forms of healing sciences practiced since ages.
6. Tourist friendly.
7. English-speaking.
When you have the choice of top-notch surgeons working at economical rates for complicated
procedures, why would you choose to be anywhere else, but here, in India?
Take for instance a bypass surgery, which could cost you 1,40,000 dollars without
any insurance in the USA. The same procedure could be summed up in 7,000-odd dollars,
here! Compared to astronomical figures that are required for medical procedures
in the Western countries, India offers the same at nearly half the price, along
with the bonus of destination-attraction!
Medical tourism has been on a rising high since over a decade in India. However,
it is only now that it has been gaining a global audience in terms of choice and
popularity. The primary reasons for these have been the fact that India is an English-speaking
country and offers world-class medical assistance at reasonable rates. It also doesn’t
hurt the fact that the visa formalities and the destinations, regardless of the
geographical location are extremely tourist friendly in India!
The next time you need a dental care or a medical assistance of any kind or simply
want to rejuvenate yourself in the timeless practices of healing, book your ticket
to India and partake in her splendour as much as in her healthcare services!
*Sources: Forbes India
Interested in knowing more about the growing boom of medical tourism in India?
1. http://www.forbesindia.com/blog/health/4-things-to-know-about-indias-next-crown-jewel-medical-tourism/
2. http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/data-story-sushma-swarajs-tweets-arent-the-only-proof-of-indias-medical-tourism-boom-2399493.html
3. http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/medical-tourist-arrivals-in-india-up-25-117041900577_1.html