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Centre will take measures to improve medical tourism to the country, says health minister
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
May 13 , 2022
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As part of its efforts to build Brand India for medical tourism by attracting people across the world to the country for medical treatment, the Central government is planning to launch a portal to provide credible information for those who want to take treatment in India. It has also suggested setting up of facilitation centres across the countries to support medical tourists.
Union minister of health and family welfare and chemicals and fertilizers, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, addressing the roundtable conference with senior IFS officers on Building Brand India at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, said that India with its high-end healthcare ecosystem and world-class medical facilities has become an attraction for the whole world.
Highlighting the need to take steps to further strengthen the Medical Value Tourism, he suggested establishing facilitation centres at the Indian Embassies across the world for the people wanting to travel India for treatment. In addition, a system to get feedback/testimonials from people who are getting treated in India can be instituted. This will help the country in making medical tourism, ‘Brand India’.
A ‘One Step’ portal is being made for the convenience and ease of credible information for those who want to take treatment in India from abroad, he added.
Commenting on the efforts to sign agreements with other countries in the area of the medical sector, the health minister noted that the country has an agreement with Japan to provide skilled nurses. Such agreements have also been made with other countries for skilled medical manpower. These kinds of possibilities should be explored to promote medical value tourism.
India has established itself as the focal point of Ayush and has recently launched 'Ayush mark', which is aimed at providing authenticity to Ayush products in India and promote the traditional medicine industry.
A Special Visa Category has been made for those coming to India from other countries for Ayurveda treatment. The provision of Medical Visa and Medical Attendant Visa has been made with 165 countries to get Ayurveda treatment.
He invited everyone to share suggestions to strengthen the medical tourism sector and make India a ‘Global Medical Hub’ in line with the spirit of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. This will not only benefit the Medical Tourism and Healthcare Sector, but also India’s service industry.
According to the Medical Tourism Index 2020-21 by the Medical Tourism Association, India is currently at 10th position out of the top 46 countries, 12th in world’s top 20 wellness tourism markets, 5th out of 10 wellness tourism markets in Asia-Pacific region. The treatment costs in India are 65 to 90% less than the cost of treatment in America. In India, there are 39 Joint Commission International (JCI) and 657 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals, which is equal to or better than Global Quality Standards and Benchmarks.
With an aim to further boost Medical Tourism, the Government of India has launched 'Heal in India' and 'Heal by India' programmes. This will provide an opportunity for India’s medical workforce to travel all over the world and contribute towards a healthy global society, he added.
“We are committed to making India a Global Medical Value Hub by further strengthening our traditional medicine industry and boosting 'Heal in India' & 'Heal by India' initiatives,” he averred.
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