Cost Benefits and Expertise is a Factor behind Surge in Medical Tourism in India

The chosen destination for heart surgery, be it CABG or open-heart procedures is India. This is due to the cost-benefit, expertise, and availability of accredited hospitals and clinics. This is just an example; the country excels in providing excellent health care to overseas citizens in almost all disciplines. 

Well! Speaking the truth international health travel is governed by multiple factors not only the cost-benefit. But at the core of all treatments is the cost, and it outweighs all other factors.

Patients with insurance or those availing of public health care prefer local medical facilities, but sometimes these are not the binding factors. A long waiting list, lack of expertise, or medical facility in one’s country propels citizens to visit faraway destinations for healing.

Some of the preferred destinations for wellness and healing are:

• ·        Japan
• ·        Korea
• ·        India
• ·        Malaysia
• ·        Singapore
• ·        USA
• ·        UK
• ·        Thailand
• ·        Germany
• ·        Sweden

Among these top ten Nations, India ranks sixth in terms of revenue generated but the arrivals are expected to increase when the impact of the pandemic is over. The country provides surgical options and non-surgical treatments at 1/10 and 1/15 the cost of that incurred in the USA and the UK. These are comparative averages since many Asian countries also provide low-priced options, but nevertheless, India ranks as one that provides better choices and rates in most cases.

Low-cost options, expertise, and accredited hospitals are available pan India - almost in all mid-level towns. The mid-level towns due to the less economical stress and cost of living are able to provide equally good options for invasive procedures and palliative care at a much lesser price. Most of the rated hospitals and clinics are on par with those established in costlier metros and capital cities.

Another plus point that attracts international patients is the availability of cheap but expert diagnostic facilities, generic drugs, and medical devices. The country is the largest manufacturer of generic drugs and indigenous vaccines.  With increasing foreign direct investment, the pharmaceutical industry will grow by leaps and bounds.   

Wide-spectrum disease treatment availability is another virtue that the country is endowed with. This is a result of stress placed on educational intuitions to deliver the best in technology and medical sciences. The health care infrastructure is well looked after and funded by the dispensations in India. The recent allocation on health care has been Rs. 2,34,846 crores and more funding is promised in near future. The country is home to a large number of medical colleges that are imparting graduate and post-graduate degrees churning out doctors and surgeons in impressive numbers. Most of the degree holders study further in institutions of higher learning in advanced countries. Most of the fellowships obtained by Indian experts are from the USA and the UK followed by other EU countries.     

The most desired procedures and surgical options that inbound health traveler seeks pertain to cosmetic, cardiac, transplants, oncology, and dental restructuring. Patients from overseas also seek recourse to minor ailments besides major surgeries and palliative care.

With ancient indigenous healing systems prevailing since the medieval ages medical science is nothing new for Indians. Ayurveda, meditation, and Yoga offer excellent alternative recourse for people from all over the World. Ayurveda though not thoroughly researched using the modern methodology, and often criticized for unproven health benefit claims is nevertheless making inroads as modern research and studies are being applied to the ancient formulations prevailing in the system.

Thus, the country has deep-seated roots in its approach to healing. It is said that ancient practitioners developed a number of treatises pertaining to medicine, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.  The use of Ayurveda as a holistic system of healing cannot be challenged though it does not a substitute for modern allopathic traditions. But Ayurvedic healing can be applied in conjunction without conflict with modern therapies. In order to stress the growth of medical tourism in the country, a separate ministry has been set up. Called AYUSH Ministry, its main role is to promote indigenous healing systems besides homeopathy.      

There is hence a strong basis for Indians to excel in the healing sciences and their applications. No wonder the country is attracting more and more people from developed Nations besides the neighboring countries, Africa, China, and APAC region.

The health travel country is expected to grow over 21 % CAGR between the years 2020 and 2027. The Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives along with the ministry of tourism are aim to propel inbound health travel sky-high.   The country is already gaining traction in inbound tourism related to wildlife safaris and sightseeing due to the presence of iconic wild species and places of panoramic grandeur. Thus, if tourism increases it is most likely to propel low-priced treatments available in India. Thus, the medical industry and tourism are correlated as the name suggests, and India with vast resources in both is slated to become a prominent hub.