The slogan of the industry is ‘First World treatment at Third World prices’. Here is a quick primer of the Rs 800 crore business in the making.
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. The entire country was hooked on to their television sets, as all of us prayed for little Noor’s speedy recovery. Even Sonia Gandhi could not resist and wrote a special letter to Noor admiring her courage and praising her “indomitable spirit.”
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. The Indian government eased out visa restrictions for other Pakistani children requiring medical attention and also announced that they would finance the travel, treatment and accommodation of around 20 children.
That was the year 2003. Five years later, in 2008, we are looking at around 170,000 foreign patients coming in annually, with the medical tourism market at around US $300 million. According to ASSOCHAM, the market is expected to grow to US $2 billion by 2012.
Healthy Traveling
As the name suggests, 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.
Besides India, industry experts believe Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Colombia, Costa Rica and UAE to be some of the hot destinations for medical tourism.
Indian Advantage
What attracts tourists the most towards India is its low cost treatment, compared to western standards. Research shows that the cost is lower by an average of 40 to 60%, when compared to the US or UK. This includes the stay, cost of treatment, as well as the fare to and from India.
| DARE/most sought treatments |
| Ayurvedic treatments |
| Bone-marrow transplant |
| Brain surgery |
| Cancer procedures (oncology) |
| Cardiac care |
| Cosmetic surgery |
| Dental procedures |
| Dermatology |
| Dialysis and kidney transplant |
| Drug rehabilitation |
| Gastroenterology |
| Gynecology and obstetrics |
| Health checkups |
| Internal/digestive procedures |
| Joint replacement surgery |
| Neurosurgery and trauma surgery |
| Nuclear medicine |
| Ophthalmic procedures |
| Orthopedic surgery |
| Osteoporosis |
| Preventive healthcare |
| Refractive surgery |
| Rheumatology |
| Spine-related |
| Urology |
| Vascular surgery |
| Weight-loss surgery |
| Source: Various Websites |
This is not to say that the quality of medical care suffers. As the popular slogan that goes around in the industry says, India offers “First World treatment at Third World prices.” India produces around 30,000 doctors and nurses each year and is known worldwide for its qualified and competent professionals in this field. As said by Sujit Chatterjee, CEO of Hiranandani Hospital, “Even in their own countries, patients prefer consulting an Indian doctor, as they are on the forefront of medical care.”
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.”
Industry Glimpse
According to ASSOCHAM, ayurvedic and medical tourism industries are likely to gain around Rs 800 crore from the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Out of this, it has been predicted that the market for medical tourism alone is around Rs 300 crore, the rest accounting for that of ayurvedic remedies. The breakup of tourists spending on medical tourism will fall in the band of around Rs 40,000-Rs120,000 on an average; whereas the amount spent on ayurvedic-related treatment will be around Rs10,000-Rs35,000.
Job opportunities for about 40,000 professionals are expected to arise in these fields. A CII-McKinsey report (Healthcare in India: The Road Ahead) states that medical tourism can be a much bigger business, provided we have proper infrastructure and networking amongst hospitals, hotels and tourism agencies.
In Demand
Apollo Hospitals enterprises is estimated to be the largest medical corporation in India that specially caters to medical tourists. Apollo has attracted patients from Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and has tied-up with various hospitals in Mauritius, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Yemen. 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.
What treatments are these medical tourists coming for? Says Sandeep Bafna, CEO of Travel India Company, “I get a lot of queries for kidney transplants, cosmetic surgeries and ayurvedic treatments. Patients also enquire about dental treatments, although I do not recommend coming all the way to India for it. 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.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
written by Thomas, February 03, 2011
written by Delhi Hai mere jaan, December 14, 2010
written by Jyothsna, August 16, 2010
Regards
Jyothsna
written by sanjayshashank, May 29, 2010
I am currently active in wellness Tourism industries in Delhi. I have started a Medical Tourism Venture and looking for an IT & ITES professional to join me for overseas marketing. I am also keen to know if any Healthcare Centres, Hospitals or Ayurvedic Treatment Centres are willing to tie with us for treating our patients.
Regards,
sanjay shashank
sanjayshashank@gmail.com
Director Medical tourism
ExcelMedinetIndia
written by richard, May 25, 2010
can people from the usa come to india to get treated for drug addication, and be admitted into a drug rehab here in india?
regards
richard
written by Dick, May 25, 2010
written by Flsugar, April 10, 2010
written by Khushal Bhargava, January 02, 2010
written by Gloscon, October 28, 2009
written by compare cheap insurance quotes, September 10, 2009
Great posting.
http://www.nextgencompare.co.uk/finance/travel-money.html
written by Hitesh bansal, August 19, 2009
http://www.indiameditours.com
written by Rahul Kulkarni, April 18, 2009
I am currently active in Biomedical & Tourism industries in Pune. I am keen on starting a Medical Tourism Venture and looking for an IT & ITES professional to join me for overseas marketing. I am also keen to know if any Healthcare Centres, Hospitals or Ayurvedic Treatment Centres are willing to tie with us for treating our patients.
Regards,
Rahul Kulkarni
punerk@gmail.com
written by Roshan Shah, April 06, 2009
Roshan Shah
Founder Kosansh
http://www.kosansh.com
written by Carol Brooks, April 06, 2009
written by emr, March 16, 2009
written by Ask a nurse, March 08, 2009
Another related industry is virtual ask a nurse hotlines, where people can save thousands of dollars by not going to the ER via a simple phone call and uploading of pictures .
written by Callcarenet.com, March 07, 2009
Another related industry is virtual ask a nurse hotlines, where people can save thousands of dollars by not going to the ER via a simple phone call and uploading of pictures .
written by Prashant Thakkar, September 23, 2008
I have read this article for more then 5 times and each time i have seen various opportunities in the industry.
I am the director of one of the startup ITES company. I want to launch one site in this domain along with medical and tourism industry i would like to add few more domains on the site.
I need help in collecting information for various medical, tourism, real estate, insurance, hospitality and from other domain.
Kindly help me by providing some resources, interested partners and/or institutes or centers from where i can collect the information.
Keeping 2010 in mind i would like to develop the site or the information center ASAP.
Regards,
Prashant Thakkar
written by Prashant Thakkar, September 23, 2008
I have read this article for more then 5 times and each time i have seen various opportunities in the industry.
I am the director of one of the startup ITES company. I want to launch one site in this domain along with medical and tourism industry i would like to add few more domains on the site.
I need help in collecting information for various medical, tourism, real estate, insurance, hospitality and from other domain.
Kindly help me by providing some resources, interested partners and/or institutes or centers from where i can collect the information.
Keeping 2010 in mind i would like to develop the site or the information center ASAP.
Regards,
Prashant Thakkar
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
*The people or patients from foreign countries coming through the Indian Medical Visas should register their arrival in India within 14 days in the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
*The applicants of Indian Medical Visas should provide the documents related to their communication with the Medical Institution which provides the treatment to the applicant, in India. Right before an Indian - Medical Visa is granted to an applicant,
*Only two people can accompany a patient who applied for a Visa. They may be the family members or the attendants, and their Visas to India are of co-terminus with the patient’s ‘M’ Visa.