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Panel asks Ministry to develop one stop portal, tie up with private sector to promote medical tourism
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Gireesh Babu, New Delhi
April 24 , 2025
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The Parliamentary Panel on Health and Family Welfare has recommended to the Ministry of Ayush to develop a one stop portal for Heal in India initiative and explore collaboration with the private sector in healthcare and tourism industry for the growth of Medical Value Travel (MVT).
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, in its 165th report on Demands for Grants 2025-26 of the Ministry of Ayush, has also recommended to the Ministry to expedite the process of setting up more Ayush hospitals with priority to areas where the Ayush healthcare is less developed.
The Panel noted that as part of Heal-in-India Campaign, the Government introduced a special Visa category, Ayush Visa in 2023. It observed that the cost of medical treatment in India is very low as compared to many developed countries. Heal in India is aimed at promoting MVT through a digital portal for ease of foreign patients coming to India for treatment.
The announcement was made at the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat back in April 2022 to facilitate foreign nationals travelling to India seeking Ayush Therapy. The Ministry of Ayush has also signed a Memorandum of Undertaking (MoU) with the Tourism Ministry in this regard.
"Considering that the Ayush based healthcare and wellness economy is growing fast, the Committee recommends that the Ministry of Ayush may develop state of the art Ayush healthcare and wellbeing centres at strategic tourist places in India," said the panel headed by Member of Rajya Sabha Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav.
It is of the view that MVT and Ayush Visa scheme is a great opportunity for growth of Ayush healthcare globally.
"The Committee further recommends that to make India as a medical tourism destination of the world, the Ministry may develop a one stop portal for Heal in India and explore collaboration with private sector in healthcare and tourism industry in this regard," said the Panel.
The Panel added that it would like to be apprised of the details of healthcare availed and the feedback of travellers in respect of 1,646 Ayush Visas issued between January 1, 2024 to February 4, 2025.
It has also come across complaints regarding unregistered persons doing illegal medical practice in the name of Ayush and Ayush Doctors prescribing scheduled allopathic drugs maligning the reputation of Ayush healthcare in the country.
The Parliamentarians said that the Panel believes there are provisions under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, the National Commission for Homeopathy Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to check such malpractices.
It also expressed its pleasure to note that the Ministry is working on 20,000 students at Eklavya Residential Model Schools to focus on TB, Anaemia, Haemoglobinopathies and malnutrition among those children, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
It opined that the Ministry must explore such activities including Sickle Cell Anaemia in the Tribal areas and in the northeastern regions and widen the scope of collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The Panel has also been apprised of the coming proposals for 50 bedded hospitals in every district and 100 bedded hospitals in all tier-2 cities. It added that the Panel expects the Ministry to expedite the process ensuring priority is given to areas where the Ayush healthcare is less developed.
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