Health tourism in India

Health tourism in India

Since the beginning of time, man has been confronted with a special fact as unchanging as the shape of the earth; the fact that his body is fragile and, even with proper care, deteriorates with age. So, to keep himself away from illness and disease and thus prolong his life, he used the services of sages or quacks (in the old days) and doctors (in modern times). But with the advent of modern technology, medical science improved greatly and new methods of treating diseases and ailments emerged. As a result, local doctors became better able to treat illnesses and therefore began charging fees accordingly. The lucky ones were able to pay, unlike the average person who sometimes could and sometimes couldn't; Ultimately, only the privileged were able to take full advantage of the advances in medical science.

This scenario began to change in the 1980s, when Western health tourists flocked to certain Latin American countries that offered affordable cosmetic, dental and other treatments. At the turn of the 21st century, many more countries began to offer high-quality healthcare at economical costs, and leading countries were India and the Southeast Asian nations of Thailand and Singapore. The main reasons that led health tourists to seek medical treatment in these countries (particularly India) were – A. the quality of doctors B. the quality of medical infrastructure C. success rate D. the absence of language barriers (English is the official language in India and Singapore) and E. the (economic) cost. Countries with lower exchange rates compared to the patient's home country became attractive targets as this effectively meant the cost of medical treatments fell between 30% and 70%.

Health Care Tourists who went to distant countries in search of high-quality and affordable medical treatment also came from countries where there are long queues at clinics (local doctors) or where there is a lack of quality health care (in their home country). Procedures for which health tourists typically travel abroad are traditional and alternative treatments (such as naturopathy, aromatherapy, Ayurveda, etc.), cardiac surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, organ transplants, cosmetic surgeries and reproductive treatments (such as in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, etc.).

The reason health tourists are traveling to India right now is to take advantage of traditional and alternative treatments such as Ayurveda and yoga (India is the birthplace of these treatments), reproductive treatments, heart surgeries and organ transplants. Chennai, one of the largest metropolises in India, is often referred to as the healthcare capital of South and Southeast Asia as this city has many high-quality hospitals and therefore beds. The fact that Chennai is very close to the temple town and silk sari making center of Kanchipuram and the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Mahabalipuram Group of Monuments' works in its favor as hospitals often combine a patient's medical stay with some sightseeing destinations nearby. These packages are the best examples of health tourism.

A recent report titled 'Medical Value Travel' published by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and KPMG (one of the largest professional services firms in the world) has found that India, along with Thailand and Singapore, accounts for almost 60% of Asian countries' medical tourism revenue. The study found that these countries combined a patient's healthcare stay with visits and advertised them as a package to attract patients.

In conclusion, health tourism is a phenomenon that is not only here to stay but will also be a major source of foreign exchange for countries that would offer these services. As long as healthcare providers ensure that they offer state-of-the-art treatments and superior services while keeping them affordable; Your level of success will only increase in the coming future.