India’s Niti Aayog (formerly Planning Commission), a government policy think-tank, which identifies medical value travel (MVT) as a major source of foreign exchange earnings is currently working out a roadmap to ensure significant growth by 2020.

 

Projections for medical tourism in India is estimated at $8 billion opportunity by 2020. With the Indian medical industry currently pegged at $4 billion, the country’s share is around 18 percent of the global medical tourism market estimated at around $40-60 billion and is believed to be growing at 15 percent.

 

Though India’s neighbors Bangladesh and Afghanistan continue to be the top countries from where the maximum number foreign tourist arrivals (for medical purpose) but India foresees big rise in such patients from Arab countries like Iraq, Oman, Yemen, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

 

Besides allopathy, India also enjoys high credibility in wellness, preventive, and alternative medicine. India is a cradle to a wide range of alternative medicine techniques such as Ayurveda, Sidha, Unani, Yoga, Acupuncture and Homeopathy, which are very popular among foreigners. Such treatment opportunities give India the edge over its competitors in the region.

 

The percentage of foreign tourist arrivals in India for medical treatment is showing an upward projectile over the years and growing rapidly since year 2010. Oman is the biggest market for medical tourism among Gulf countries followed by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

 

Recently a delegation comprising of doctors and marketing officials from 13 hospitals sent by Confederation of Indian Industry Kerala Chapter to Oman, conducted an outpatient service as part of the road show and exhibition in Muscat.

 

At the ATM 2018 held recently in Dubai, about 20 participants from India, representing the travel trade and wellness tourism had its presence felt at its India Pavilion set up by the Ministry of Tourism. There was a fantastic response from the local Arabs who look at India as a favorable destination for medical tourism.

 

Says Anvar Husain, manager, Branding & Communication and Medical Value Travel for Calicut-based Aster MIMS  has set up an exclusive international desk that offers a single window arrangement for foreign national patients. He said: “Our package includes pre-hospital screening at the country of residence (Aster DM Healthcare which has presence in 9 countries), visa liaising, flight ticket, proposed management cost to the whole package etc.”

 

Speaking about GCC patients, Husain said: “Only recently a patient by the name of Juma Rashid from Oman was successfully operated for bilateral total knee replacement while Naif from Abu Dhabi was successfully treated for heart issues.

 

Aster MIMS get an average of 600-700 patients a month from which Oman has 70 percent contribution. “We get patients mostly in general health check, orthopedics, gastro-surgery, oncology and neurology and neuro surgery. After treatment, most of them show interest in sightseeing as they have heard a lot about the beauty of Kerala. For such people, we arrange the sightseeing tours to place like Wayanad, Munnar, etc through our associated tour operators,” says Anvar.

 

According to Dr. Mohammed Mukhtar, Head of Business Development & Empanelment, Apollo Health & Lifestyle, Hyderabad, “Apollo Hospitals across India provide treatment for all the ailments using state-of-the-art technology including a Beating Heart surgery, organ transplants, cardiac treatment, robotic and radiosurgery system, Cyber Knife for patients from across the globe. GCC account for 25 percent of the medical tourism patients who visit us quality and affordable healthcare.”