Monday, November 15, 2021

Diverse Medical Treatments in India at Incredibly Low Cost

Needless to say, medical inquisitiveness like in the case of all aspects of life in India has been intense right from ancient times.  Scientific research has been at the forefront from way back in earlier times starting or predating more than 5000 years. We should be thankful to the Hindu saints or rishis who approached health issues with an open mind and a broad sense of acceptance of what is good for the human body and soul. The civilization has always been liberal, broad-minded, and open in approach to life with rare instances of conservatism that are seen in the case of some ideological loyalties. 

The approach has always been inquisitive and holistic albeit modern analytical and technical methods were missing. Nevertheless, logic and rationality made up for measured verified success that modern science adopts, and health-driven, rejuvenated long life was achieved.   

The rishis believed in healing systems that were preventive, curative, and rejuvenated the body in the span of time the medicine and regimen that was being applied and strictly adhered to. The discovery of Ayurveda and the development of Yoga propelled holistic healing like none other system and the treatments literally became a way of life. 

Other notable examples are the work of Sushruta in the development of plastic surgery and Charak's treatise for the practice of medicine in ancient India. There are other treatises developed by physicians and scientists that have been overshadowed by the passage of unscripted time in history. 

Nevertheless, modern contributors to the field of medicine may not assiduously recognize the work done by the Indians who did end up creating a sound platform of healing in the country. The stress on medical learning and the creation of a teaching and health treatment infrastructure in modern India is due to the continuous persuasion of discovering and developing healing systems. This has been continuously bolstered by the logical and forward approach of the dispensations and planners that ruled the country.  

India now boasts of a collective framework of learning institutions that teach modern medical disciplines as well as indigenous wellness systems. The wide spectrum of disease treatments is strikingly diverse and with the knowledge and training accumulated from institutions of higher learning, and a broad base of acclaimed surgeons, physicians, and managers with a vast array of abilities and experience are at the helm of disease treatment in the country. 

The cultural sobriety, reasoning, and logical approach to the economy have created business practices that are inherently economical with controlled expenditure and no extravagance. The Indian hospitals and clinics stick to international norms of ethics and a professional quality-driven approach that leads to one of the lowest costing disease treatments in the World.  The rational approach of avoiding outward extravagance and costly architectural designs helps in controlling the costs. The skilled surgeons and physicians along with highly cost-intensive equipment and tools are used to optimum levels in the hospitals and clinics to drive the cost below the waist. 

The three-tier approach to establishing medical infrastructure has rationalized the availability of ascending scale of treatments with the basics being delivered in the village-level clinics and dispensaries. Mid-level towns and cities provide higher treatment to the patients which does call for cheap local travel and higher spending. The top rung specialty hospitals and clinics in the country are units delivering a wide spectrum of advanced disease treatments which are available in the developed world.  But all this at an incredibly low cost with successful medical outcomes. 

This approach is creating a sound platform for medical tourism in India with a promising growth rate of 30 percent in the post-global scenario.  Already international patients from APAC, China, and Africa are knocking at the doorsteps of treatment centers in various Indian cities. But what is now a slow trickle from the developed world is going to swell to an impressive stream of visitors both for health treatments and tourism in the country. The country is home to diverse terrain that contains impressive panoramic grandeur for sightseeing, experiencing colorful friendly culture, and enchanting wildlife that includes global attractions like the tiger and the lion. 

It is now there in the open as the surge in international patients becomes apparent. The country is not new by any means to hosting diverse ethnicities, cultural and religious diversity, and people from the diverse rung of social and economical strata. India Shinning! 

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Uday writes for  Company in India.  He writes on medical tourism, advanced disease treatments, and health infrastructure in India.  As an experienced SEO and Content Writer he writes on diverse topics on various platforms. 

He was teaching digital marketing in Jabalpur in his free time. He can be contacted at:

pateluday90@hotmail.com
09755089323 


Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Understanding Ayurveda amidst Modern Day Therapies

It all started five thousand years back whence Vedic civilization was flourishing. Hinduism was the backbone. It is an ideology with a propensity for vegetarianism which albeit it surfaced much later but I believe it had taken roots by then. Today almost 30% of Indians are vegetarian. Another feather in the cap was the development of another wellness therapy and that was Yoga. 

The two gems of Indian healing systems are very much popular today in India as well as overseas. Most of the proponents of Yoga have been initiated in the Vedic Era or earlier perhaps. The guru shishya tradition has been instrumental in exporting the wellness system to many countries. The sages left no stone unturned to discover the holistic healing sciences. Although considered as an alternative or pseudoscientific term according to some Western prejudiced practitioners and scientists.     

Ayurveda is in existence since its inception and the system is growing. New scientific logic is being applied to the system now subject to research and the quest for evidence as in the case of modern medicine. The sheer magnitude of consumption in the country of origin, and the growing popularity overseas should make habitual detractors of this ancient Indian medical science think. 

Ayurveda is close to nature since Hindu or Santam Dharma is nature-centric. A majority of formulations comprise vegetative matter, and the animal matter used is derived from creatures not subject to killing. The use of ghee or clarified butter and honey is one such example. 

The use of minerals and some metals are a cause of concern as rightly pointed out by scientists and modern medicine practitioners Some of them are toxic in large quantities. Hence all pharmaceutical concerns should create a standard for this usage that is suggestive of medicinal value. 

Ayurveda practitioners are registered practitioners with degrees from colleges and universities. They are familiar with modern medicines. Many of the pharma companies that make Ayurvedic medicines are global or National concerns that will follow standards. 

The formulations are available as tablets, powders, and liquids. Most of the popular formulations are consumed in India and abroad by the masses. Although the medicine comprises a complex mix of ingredients - herbs, roots, and minerals they are all mentioned in quantity in branded formulations.  

This Indian healing system also prescribes diet regimen, exercise, and in some instances abstinence which means it advocates lifestyle changes necessary to deal with an anomaly in the system.  Thus, it may still be not evidence-based but the lifestyle changes augur wellness, and the ingredients from the medicinal plants have beneficial properties many of which have been studied although more needs to be done to quantify. 

The system lays more emphasis on lifestyle and consuming elements in harmony with nature. Many natural remedies like Isabgol or psyllium husk, ashwagandha, shilajit, sankphuspi, and Brahmi have become popular and are used by the masses. There are more herbal ingredients on the list may be in thousands. 

India is biodiversity-rich and more herbs with medicinal properties would be discovered in time to come. Around 7000 herbs have already been classified. 

**Never consume the medicine without the advice of a doctor

**Do not stop modern medicine treatments suggested by your doctor

**Consult doctor at every step. 

Be safe and healthy! 

Medical Tourism Affordability is the Key to Success!

Medical Tourism

Medical Tourism has been in place for centuries whence people traveled to neighboring countries or made journeys by sea to find cures. But the real offtake has been for a few decades propelled by increasing International travel and the development of health infrastructures. 

People often traveled to the USA and European countries thanks to advanced treatments available some decades back. But the world has become a level playing field with health care infrastructure coming in place in many countries. But many countries that do not invest in the health sector, lag behind in trained manpower, and are unable to incorporate medical technologies are dependent upon the rest for cures and palliatives. 

Health-related travel has been facilitated by tourism development as well since both work in near conjunction. Tourism is the pathway to enter a country with ease, and this when combined with treatment turns into medical tourism. Thus, both subscribe to the same inroad but there is a difference in criteria. While sightseeing or holiday making is dependent upon panoramic destinations, hill resorts, wildlife places, and spas, medical tourism flourishes where the top of the rung hospitals thrive and offer quality treatments. 

Travel overseas is dependent upon many factors chiefly ease of Visa availability and hospitable services to places of interest. Health-related travel thrives on these factors as well but it is much more dependent upon the cost of service and treatment. Though there are travelers who seek treatments in five-star hospitals the number is less as more and more people go for the economy. 

Low-cost treatments and quality services are the prime criteria for attracting medical tourists besides other determinants. These two factors have aided countries in earning foreign exchange more than sightseeing or wildlife experiences in a country.

Health expenses are climbing sky-high in the present times and countries that have kept expenses on a tight loop and offer affordable packages attract more patients seeking overseas treatments. Some of the countries that rank high on the MTI Scale are:

  • India 
  • Singapore
  • South Korea
  • Malaysia'
  • Thailand
  • Bulgaria
  • Panama
Though the main criteria are the low-cost treatments other determiners like proximity, ease of travel and specialization may influence the flow of patients despite some countries offering a lower price. 

India offers wide spectrum of treatments at a much lower cost as compared to other countries in ASIA. It is well known for its robust health infrastructure with a chain of accredited hospitals and clinics. The hospitals and clinics are spread out to smaller cities that are able to provide affordable packages unlike the metros and the state capitals. 




Singapore and South Korea are the world's most advanced countries in terms of medical technology and offer treatments for specific diseases and anomalies. Though countries excel in specific treatments greater weightage is accorded to Nations that offer a wider range. Another plus is the availability of holiday destinations at the same place on the route. Overseas patients generally prefer to visit holiday destinations before or after the treatment. 

India's medical tourism is valued at 6 billion USD and it ranks sixth in the world. With a 30 % growth rate, it is attracting overseas patients from China, Africa, AFPAC, and Arab Countries.  Patients from the USA, Canada, and the EU are traveling for health treatments in India  

Besides lower costs, all ranking Nations have a plus point that helps them beat the competition in the developed world.  The cost comparison chart below will highlight the prices that are different for the same treatment in some countries

 

Medical procedure       USA       Costa Rica         India      Jordan       S. Korea                          

 

Heart Bypass          $123,000           $27,000              $7,900    $14,400       $26,000                 

 

Angioplasty         $28,200                 $13,800             $5,700   $5,000         $17,700                 

 

HVR                    $170,000       $30,000                      $9,500      $14,400    $39,900                 

Hip Replacement $40,364              $13,600                 $7,200       $8,000    $21,000                

 

Knee Replacement$35,000          $12,500                 $6,600   $9,500                $17,500             

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Treating Malaria in India

The disease is widely prevalent all over the country and has become a scourge resulting in many deaths. The malaria pathogen is transmitted to humans through blood from bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes. Over a number of years, the parasitic protozoan has diversified into many strains some yet to be discovered. Single-celled microorganism is classified as spasmodic types.   

While vivax, ovale and malariae cause many symptoms P.falciparum is the one that is the cause of many deaths in India.  The usual symptoms are chills and fever, nausea and vomiting, lethargy, and even death. In advanced stages, the skin may become yellow as some strains affect the lever and cause jaundice.     

Blood tests are the usual mode of detecting the parasite in the blood but lately, quicker tests have been developed but their efficacy is in doubt. It will usually take three or more blood tests to detect the parasite but this is a better way to detect the infection in time and prevent aggravation of symptoms later.   

The treatment for malaria is a combination of three injections of artemisinin and seven doses of quinine tablets of 300 mg each. This treatment eliminates the parasite from the blood. This is then followed by fourteen days of primaquine treatment to eliminate pathogens from the liver. The malaria treatment using quinine and its derivatives is troublesome with side effects like nausea, vomiting, digestive discomfort, and giddiness to name a few. Hence medicines for the prevention of these symptoms are administered orally along with the course.     

As a preventive measure doxycycline is prescribed on regular basis, especially for overseas visitors traveling to malaria-affected countries like India.  Other preventive measures are mosquito repellent in form of lotions and oils, nets, incense sticks, and electronic devices that discourage the mosquitoes in their range.      

The disease should always be treated under the supervision of a qualified practitioner and self-medication could be dangerous.  Treatments differ and it is up to the doctor to prescribe medicines most suited. 

The cause of the proliferation and spread of malaria-carrying mosquitoes are many prominent being accumulated and stagnant water, lack of hygiene, and paucity of precautions. Fogging machines are useful to eradicate insects from their surroundings.
Mosquito occurrence can lead to many kinds of infections hence be aware!  

Friday, May 19, 2017

Diabetic News

Diabetes if not debilitating directly can have damaging implications if not treated properly. The disease makes itself conspicuous by the presence of sugar in the bloodstream beyond the acceptable level. This occurs due to the inability of the pancreas to make insulin in the required amount or the inability to process sugar in the blood. 

Most medicine work by controlling the release of sugar from the liver. The medicine also assists in the production of insulin as well as in the processing. Although the malady strikes at any age these days some lifestyle factors are responsible as well. In many instances, the malady is hereditary and passed on from parents to children.   

Apart from medicine, an ideal method of limiting the sugar in the body is to exercise control through diet and a physical regimen like a daily brisk walk. For those suffering from this ailment, the food should comprise of vegetables, meats, and fruits with a low glycemic index. By all means, sugar, foods with a high glycemic index, and carbohydrates should be avoided or limited.

The incidence of diabetes in India is rising strikingly may be due to genetic predisposition or some lifestyle factors. But the disease is widely prevalent in the developed World and on the rise.   

The inability to control blood sugar can manifest in consequences that could lead to kidney damage, stress on the circulatory system as well as damage to the retina leading to blindness. Compounded by other lifestyle disorders diabetes can be deadly.    

There is a general evolution in the treatment of the disease and newer drugs are being discovered. Two drugs target the protein receptor PPARgamma and activate it to control blood sugar.