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Medical Tourism in India

Last updated on January 14, 2023 by ClearIAS Team

Medical tourism is described as any activity that involves a foreign visitor traveling and spending at least one night at the destination to rejuvenate, restore, or maintain health through medical intervention. Since the last decade of the 20th century, India has emerged as a global leader in the medical tourism sector. Read here to learn about the growth of medical tourism in India.

Over the past decade, India has gained a reputation for providing high-quality medical service at low costs to medical tourists traveling from across the globe.

However, with the travel bans during the covid-19 pandemic , the influx of medical tourists had dipped. According to the Tourism Ministry, India registered a negative growth of 79.4% in 2020.

Although, the situation looks positive once more owing to the efforts made to handle the pandemic situation. Market insights suggest the demand forecast to increase at a robust 19 % CAGR in 2022.

Table of Contents

Medical tourism in India

India’s healthcare industry offers a combination of both modern and traditional forms of medicine which sets the country apart from others.

First, it has a set of world-class doctors and hospitals that provide treatment at fractional rates when compared to other countries.
Secondly, India’s systems of medicine: AYUSH i.e., Ayurveda, Yoga, Panchakarma, Rejuvenation Therapy, etc, which are the most ancient forms of medicine, are now gaining immense popularity globally.

The government also recently announced plans to launch an AYUSH Mark which is a mark to provide credibility to AYUSH products in India and promote India’s medical tourism sector.

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Additionally, the other medical services and facilities are also backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA).

India’s healthcare industry has advanced significantly over the past 30 years, as seen by the notable accomplishments it has made.

One of the industries that have contributed the most to revenue and are expanding quickly is healthcare.
Both public and private providers support the healthcare industry. Over the past few years, national health policies have been crucial in establishing a more inclusive healthcare system to achieve structured Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
In addition, India provides less expensive treatment alternatives than the US and the UK without sacrificing the standard of healthcare. About one-fourth, less is spent on therapy in India than it is in the United States.

In terms of alternate medical treatment, the Indian medical treatment systems of yoga, ayurveda, rejuvenation therapy, and panchakarma are among the most ancient methods of medical treatment in the world.

The southern state of Kerala has developed medical tourism services as one of its core products for promoting tourism in the region.

Based on the Medical Tourism Index 2020-21, India is ranked 10th out of the top 46 countries, 12th out of the world’s top 20 wellness tourism markets, and 5th out of 10 wellness tourism destinations in Asia-Pacific.

India boasts 39 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited and 657 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals.

India holds an advantage as a medical tourism destination due to the following factors:

Most of the doctors and surgeons at Indian hospitals are trained or have worked at some of the medical institutions in the US, Europe, or other developed nations.
Most doctors and nurses are fluent in English.
Top-of-the-line medical and diagnostic equipment from global international conglomerates is available at many Indian hospitals.
Indian nurses are among the best in the world. Nearly 1000 recognized nurses-training centers in India, mostly attached to teaching hospitals, graduate nearly 10,000 nurses annually.
Even the most budget-conscious traveler can afford first-rate service and luxury amenities

Most of the tourists are from Asian or African countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Indonesia, and Kenya, among others.

Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru are the top 5 medical tourism destinations in India.

Wellness tourism

Wellness Tourism includes travel for a less stressful lifestyle, promoting a healthier, and finding balance in one’s life.

Ayurveda, Yoga, meditation, Panchakarma, and Rejuvenation Therapy are among the most ancient systems of medical treatment in India and the best way to promote Wellness Tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism has drafted guidelines for wellness tourism. These guidelines address issues regarding making available quality publicity material, training and capacity building for the service providers, participation in international & domestic Wellness related events, etc.

Mushrooming of wellness centers in the country has given rise to the concern for quality service.

The Guideline for the Accreditation of wellness centers has been developed by National Board for Accreditation of Hospitals & Healthcare Services (NABH) in consultation with AYUSH and released during the workshop on wellness tourism organized by the Ministry of Tourism in 2011.
The Ministry of Tourism has also extended its Market Development Assistance (MDA) scheme to wellness tourism service providers including accredited wellness centers.

Impact of Covid-19 on medical tourism

Planned hospital operations decreased by as much as 80% during the state-wide lockdown in India caused by the new coronavirus outbreak, while unplanned systems decreased by 66%.

With the government of India’s assistance, the healthcare sector launched a comprehensive response strategy to combat the epidemic.

Specialized COVID-19 hospitals and isolation facilities were established, and resource mapping using technology was started.
The Indian government created several programs and used technology to combat the pandemic.
The Aarogya Setu app was utilized across the nation to improve contact tracing, syndromic mapping, and infection self-evaluation.
India not only met its own needs but also stepped up to help other nations during these difficult times.

Despite having several initiatives in place, the Medical Tourism industry of the country still faces some serious challenges.

One of the major challenges that India is facing is promoting and creating awareness about state-of-the-art facilities in India.
India is witnessing strong competition from destinations like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey, and South Korea with low-cost options.
In India, there is a lack of cohesiveness amongst the major players in the industry to come together and represent India on a world platform to acquire newer customers.
Apart from these, inconsistent fee structure and lack of transparency in billing to foreign patients, and absurdly high margins to trade to refer patients are some of the challenges.
Most Indian hospitals are also facing a lack of trust from foreign patients. The hospitals have observed poor hygiene awareness in medical attendants, unhygienic food handling, and lack of good hospitality services, heterogeneous pricing of services, and industry standards.

The government can play a vital part to upgrade the medical tourism sector. But the industry is facing the following problems which are caused by the governments. They are:

no regulations
taxation anomalies
bureaucratic roadblocks
no work on land reforms
lack of long-term investor-friendly policies
instability concerning terrorism and communal tensions.

On the part of insurance and allied services, the medical tourism industry in India is also facing some key bottlenecks. They are:

inadequate insurance cover
the underdeveloped insurance market in India
insurance frauds
overseas companies refusing reimbursement.

The following challenges, due to the infrastructural parts of the medical tourism sector in India, are:

lack of access
dearth of capital
Lack of community participation and awareness
Non-participation in the rural sector
lack of concern for sustainability
complex visa procedures
lack of good language translators
airport facilities still being inadequate

Government initiatives for medical tourism

The government has implemented various initiatives to overcome the challenges and push India’s rise as a hub of medical tourism through the promotion of ayurveda, yoga, and other Indian systems of medicine in the international market.

Heal India Initiative:

Heal in India is a new initiative developed under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in which there will be healthcare professionals, and hospital services to help patients seeking medical help in India.
With this type of initiative, Government aims at promoting Medical Tourism in India via Heal in India Portal.
It’s another Programme called Heal by India Government that aims to encourage Indian Health care Workers to go abroad and serve patients globally.

Market Development Assistance (MDA) scheme

MDA scheme offers financial assistance to approved tourism service providers.

Medical Visa provisions

Special provision has been made for tourists traveling to India for healthcare purposes.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced a new category of visa, Medical Visa, that can be issued to foreigners traveling to India for healthcare reasons.

Setting up a feedback mechanism to obtain testimonials from tourists traveling to the country for medical purposes.

This ‘one-step’ portal would add convenience and provide credible information for medical tourists coming to India.

Way forward

To become the top-most medical travel destination, there is a need for significant investments into making the healthcare industry and equipment attractive for international patients.

Patients spend most of their time in guest houses and are prone to further infections from such places.
Thus, proper infrastructure and standardization need to be brought into the tourism industry and the nexus of guest house service providers urgently.
Another aspect that needs to be tapped into is the opportunity for selling Indian health insurance to foreigners. This can generate an additional $9 billion in patient inflow to India.

The government is pulling out all its aces to maximize the industry’s potential. The aim is to make India the No.1 Destination for Medical Tourism in the world, tripling its revenue to $13 billion within 4 years.

The government has also proposed an outlay of US$ 28.7 billion for health and well-being, which is 137% higher than the previous year’s budget outlay.

In the post-Covid world, the demand for the healthcare industry is bound to surge and there is a huge potential for India to realize and aggressively advance towards attracting medical tourists from other parts of the world including Europe and the Americas.

With the government making it their priority to make India the hub of medical tourism, the initiatives combined with the surging demand are sure to make India the center for all medical tourists in the future.

-Article written by Swathi Satish

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Rise of Medical Tourism in India

Team India Blogs

Over the past decade, India has gained a reputation in providing high quality medical service at low costs to medical tourists travelling from across the globe. However, with the travel bans during the covid-19 pandemic, the influx of medical tourists had dipped. According to the Tourism Ministry , India registered a negative growth of 79.4% over 2020. Although, the situation looks positive once more owing to the efforts made to handle the pandemic situation. Market insights suggest the demand forecast to increase at a robust 19 % CAGR in 2022.

Why is India emerging as the popular medical hub for patients? India’s healthcare industry offers a combination of both modern and traditional forms of medicine which sets the country apart from others. First, it has a set of world-class doctors and hospitals that provide treatment at fractional rates when compared to other countries. Secondly, India’s systems of medicine: AYUSH i.e. Ayurveda, Yoga, Panchakarma, Rejuvenation Therapy, etc, which are the most ancient forms of medicine, are now gaining immense popularity globally. PM Modi also recently announced plans to launch an AYUSH Mark. A mark to provide credibility to AYUSH products in India and promote India’s medical tourism sector. Additionally, the other medical services and facilities are also backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA).

To become the No.1 medical travel destination, there is a need for significant investments into making the healthcare industry and equipment attractive for international patients. Patients spend most of their time in guest houses and are prone to further infections from such places. Thus, proper infrastructure and standardisation needs to be brought into the tourism industry and nexus of guest house service providers urgently. Another aspect that needs to be tapped into is the opportunity for selling Indian health insurance to foreigners. This has the capability to generate an additional $9 billion in patient inflow to India.

To maximise the industry’s potential, the government is pulling out all its aces. The aim is to make India the No.1 Destination for Medical Tourism in the world, tripling its revenue to $13 billion within 4 years. The government has also proposed an outlay of US$ 28.7 billion for health and well-being, which is 137% higher than the previous year's budget outlay.

The following measures have been taken up by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare :

Special provision of Medical Visa has been made for tourists travelling to India for healthcare purposes. This has been made available in 165 countries.
Setting up a feedback mechanism to obtain testimonials from tourists travelling to the country for medical purposes. This ‘one-step’ portal would add to the convenience and provide credible information for medical tourists coming to India.
The 'Heal in India' initiative aims to position the country as a global hub for medical and wellness tourism. Under this initiative, foreigners or those seeking medical help will be able to locate the list of hospitals in the country available to provide their choice of medical treatments through an ‘one step’ online portal. It is a one stop shop for all services from the treatment package cost, visa applications to grievance redressals and feedback. The initiative also aims at providing a database of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists and will also include a section where professionals can specify the country in which they are most interested in providing their services. This will allow India to diversify its operations by sending doctors abroad to treat patients.

The following measures have been taken up by the Ministry of Tourism :

The Marketing Development Assistance Scheme (MDA) offers financial assistance to approved tourism service providers to promote an intricate nexus of facilities for the tourists to stay.
Publicity materials, such as brochures and CDs, intended to promote medical and health tourism have been circulated in target markets. Yoga/Ayurveda/Wellness has been promoted over the last two years in print, electronic, internet, and outdoor media under the Ministry of Tourism's "Incredible India Campaign''.

To conclude, in the post-Covid world, the demand for the healthcare industry is bound to surge and there is a huge potential for India to realise and aggressively advance towards attracting medical tourists from other parts of the world including Europe and the Americas. With the government making it their priority to make India the hub of medical tourism, the initiatives combined with the surging demand are sure to make India the centre for all medical tourists in the future. Not only will India be the leader in saving millions of lives, but will also simultaneously generate valuable jobs and over $13 billion in forex.

This blog has been co-authored by Priyanka Cardoz and Sanjana Saigal.

We are India's national investment facilitation agency.

For further queries on this subject, please get in touch with us @Invest India. Raise your query

Medical value tourism in India: What makes the country a leading Medical Tourism Destination

The latest initiative of the ministry of tourism in this sector is to formulate the draft national strategy and roadmap for medical and wellness tourism, recognising the tremendous potential of medical and wellness tourism sectors towards attaining the objective of atmanirbhar bharat..

Medical Value Tourism in India, Ayurveda, Indian medicine, Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Index, Charak Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy

By G Kamala Vardhana Rao,

Atithi Devo Bhava (अतिथि देवो भव:) is the core ethos of Indian hospitality, the guiding thought for hosts to go out of the way in treating guests with the same reverence as God. This philosophy guides the Indian tourism and hospitality sector to welcome tourists from all over the world and extend them an unforgettable experience. Coupled with the vastness of Indian land and water bodies, the geographic and cultural diversities, and rich historical and natural heritage, India is one of the most remarkable tourist destinations in the world.

India also happens to have an extremely rich history of medicine going back to the Vedic times. Ayurveda, one of the oldest systems of medicine can be traced back to 8000 BCE. The Golden Age of Indian medicine can be traced back to 800 BCE and went on till 1000 CE, which witnessed the writing of Charak Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. Today, many modern methods of treatment and surgeries, such as rhinoplasty, find their roots in these literatures.

Over the years, more streams of medicine like Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy gained importance, along with Yoga and meditation, which are now acknowledged round the world for their health benefits. Post-independence, as India has progressed exponentially in the field of modern medicine, it has created a unique ecosystem for holistic health which combines the best of modern healthcare, alternative medicine, and wellness. It is the unison of this unique holistic health and wellness ecosystem, with its myriad possibilities that makes India the ultimate destination for Medical Value Tourism (MVT).

In 2015, foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India on grounds of medical visa were recorded as 2,33,918, which more than doubled to 2017. Between 2017 and 2019, India experienced over 40% growth in FTAs, with the number of tourists increasing from 495,056 in 2017 to 697,000 in 2019. According to statistics, India receives most of its medical tourists from Afghanistan , Pakistan, Oman, Bangladesh , Maldives, Nigeria, Kenya and Iraq. There is a huge potential for India to realize and aggressively advance towards attracting medical tourists from other parts of the world including Europe and the Americas.

What makes India a leading Medical Tourism Destination For a country to establish its credibility as a medical tourism destination, it needs a world-class healthcare ecosystem and proven prowess to conduct superlative medical procedures. The following are some of the factors that make Indian healthcare services a medical tourist magnet.

International Level Healthcare Services India has a strong health infrastructure with many state-of-the-art healthcare facilities offering treatment across specialities. Hospitals are equipped with the latest technologies needed to conduct complex medical procedures, and have exceptional facilities for post-operative care. The facilities are managed by a highly skilled and adept healthcare workforce and administration staff led by reputed and world renowned medical practitioners and surgeons.The facilities ensure quality treatment services for a wide array of ailments, ranging from cosmetic enhancements to complicated cardiac, orthopaedic, and spinal surgeries.

There are around 37 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals and 513 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals in India. Clinical outcomes at leading NABH hospitals are comparable to those at internationally recognized facilities. While most of the JCI hospitals are concentrated in a few cities in the country, including Delhi and Mumbai, India is further focusing on increasing the number of JCI-accredited hospitals across other major cities of the country.

Superlative Allied Sectors To deliver quality treatment, it takes a lot more than just a good hospital. India does not only have international quality healthcare services to its advantage but it also has robust allied sectors which make the healthcare ecosystem complete. These include a strong pharmaceutical and diagnostic sector, rehabilitation services, a thriving quality medical devices industry, and a growing focus on medical R&D.

Diagnostics and medical devices sectors India has cumulatively attracted over USD 25,300 million in its three key healthcare pillars, that of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, Hospitals and Diagnostics Centres, and Medical and Surgical Appliances in the last decade. Estimated at USD 11 billion, India happens to be the 4th largest medical device market in Asia, and is projected to reach USD 50 billion by 2025. The diagnostics segment in the country is valued at USD 4 billion, with 25% of the market being capitalised by leading organised players.

Pharmaceutical industry Exporting medicines to over 200 countries, India is known as the pharmacy of the world. With a market size of USD 41 billion, the sector is third largest globally by volume, with a 33% lower cost of production than the United States. The quality compliance rate of Indian Pharmaceutical industry is extremely high. India has 664 US FDA approved facilities, over 2,050 World Health Organisation-Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) approved plants and over 697 European GMP compliant plants. Consequently, India is the world capital of producing affordable, but high quality medicines. With 20% of global generic drugs exports by volume, the industry is world’s largest provider of generic medicines, producing 60,000 generic brands across 60 therapeutic categories. Out of the top 20 global generic companies, 8 are Indian. Furthermore, around 62% of the global demand for vaccines is met by India. All these factors make Indian healthcare service delivery add the essential reliability factor to high-end medical treatment, a decisive factor for medical tourism

Low Cost of Treatment

Affordability of high quality treatment is clearly the differentiator in the domain of medical tourism. There is a stark difference in the cost of common medical procedures offered in India in comparison with close competitors in the segment. Of 19 medical procedures, ranging from heart bypass and spinal fusion to liposuction and IVF treatment, India records the lowest price in 13 of them and moderate price in the remaining 6.

For instance, on comparing the cost of treatment in India with that in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey, and South Korea, heart bypass would cost USD 7900 against USD 15000, USD 12100, USD 17200, USD 13900, and USD 26,000, respectively. Similarly, hip resurfacing would cost approximately USD 9,700 in India compared to USD 16,350 in Singapore and USD 19,500 in South Korea. This is the major factor which makes it possible for International tourists to opt for elective treatment in India.

The “Value” Add in Medical Tourism Medical tourism has evolved far and beyond just visiting a country for an important surgery. Yes, excellence in healthcare is central to the value proposition. However, for a nation like India which has so much to offer to global citizens, medical tourism has emerged to be that much more. The wellness quotient has rapidly become crucial and increasingly gaining global traction.

Global Wellness Institute states that the world wellness tourism market was estimated to be USD 639 billion in 2017 with secondary wellness International travellers accounting for 89% of the trips and 86% of the expenditure and domestic wellness travel contributing 82% of total trips and 65% of expenditure. In the same year, as per the estimates by Global Wellness Tourism, India ranked 7th amongst the leading 20 wellness tourism markets, with 560 lakh trips in wellness tourism generating a total revenue of USD 16.3 billion.

India also happens to be the 3rd amongst the top 10 wellness countries in Asia Pacific. Consequently, it has taken a leap ahead from medical tourism to medical value tourism (MVT). In addition to extending the richness of Indian hospitality, with the blending essence of its food, nature, and culture, medical value tourism from an Indian standpoint is offering holistic health and wellbeing.

It is noteworthy that India is perhaps the only country with an entire ministry dedicated to alternative medicine, rejuvenation therapies and yoga. There is a conscious focus towards steering the global population away from disease and treatment cycle to a lifestyle of preventive and holistic health, one which entails mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. MVT is based on the understanding of the health, and not healthcare, seeking behaviour of the 21st century citizen. Today, Indian wellness tourism stands strong on the timeless foundations of Ayurveda, Yoga, and meditation, while concerted efforts are being made to revive and promote alternative medicines, along with stress relieving and rejuvenation therapies.

The latest initiative of the Ministry of Tourism in this sector is to formulate the Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism, recognising the tremendous potential of medical and wellness tourism sectors towards attaining the objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The sector will undoubtedly gain momentum and impetus with a formalised, strategic approach implemented at the Centre. The National Strategy aims at formulating an institutional framework, developing a brand, and strengthening the ecosystem towards both, availability and quality assurance, centred around the following salient features:

Distinct roles defined for five ministries and NABH
State Governments to enhance the ground infrastructure and promote MVT proactively
Transparency in transactions by hospitals and healthcare facilities
Industry associations to create market outreach and promote Brand India
Allied sectors to boost accessibility by way of flights, accommodation

On an urgent basis, there is need for organising the sector by way of registration, accreditation and categorisation of MVT facilitators as well as Medical Service Providers. This would provide a mechanism for mutual coordination between only registered and accredited bodies to create a trustworthy ecosystem, eliminating undesirable elements. The following steps are envisaged to achieve the required outcome:

Health insurance portability by way of extended insurance cover. It would be relevant to work towards inclusion of Indian Health Insurance companies in the global market. Alternatively, hospitals may be empanelled directly by international TPAs.
Developing Medical Enclaves for Foreign Patients. A medical complex with customised features, amenities and medical facilities may be created, with hospitals or healthcare companies gaining by way of concessional rates, duties, etc on infrastructure creation as well as consumables. The development of such hospi-towns may be explored on PPP mode.
Development of SWTX. Special Wellness Tourism Zones may be encouraged at state level offering comprehensive end-t-oend services for health, medical and wellness interventions, again developed on PPP model or with FDI.
Capacity Building. With the anticipated increase in inflow, groundwork for policy alignment, infrastructure development as well as skilling needs to be expedited in order to be future-ready.
Online MVT Portal. The existing portal needs a makeover with integration of all services a medical traveller would need, while also carrying advisories, regulations and information for transparency and ease.

MVT in the post-COVID World

There is already a major demand for wellness and alternate cures from the global population pursuing a fast-paced modern lifestyle. The high cost of services and long waiting periods have made people look eastwards. The countries lacking in adequate medical facilities are also looking upto India for cost-effective medical care and wellness services. The large Indian diaspora spread across the world are not only the most precious tourist segments but also the largest messengers of Indian hospitality to the world.

Amidst such escalating popularity and growing demand for MVT, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight back on healthy living, preventive medicines, nutrition, and immunity building. Knowing that the infection shows wide ranging symptoms and impacts various organ systems, its actual impact on the global population is yet to be assessed, with public health experts believing that it may have a significant effect on the long-term health of the affected population. Therefore, the demand for healthcare and wellness services is bound to surge in post-COVID world, with more and more people looking out for avenues of quality medical care and holistic wellness. For this global population, which is in real need for potent health and wellness solutions, medical value tourism could well be India’s thrust sector with sizable revenue prospects.

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Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism in order to boost Medical Tourism in the country

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Source: The post is based on the article “ Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism in order to boost Medical Tourism in the country ” published in PIB on 20th March 2023.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism in order to boost Medical Tourism in the country.

What is the National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism?

Aim: To provide an institutional framework, strengthen the ecosystem for medical and wellness tourism, develop a brand and ensure quality assurance.

Key Pillars of the strategy : The strategy has identified the following key pillars:

– Develop a brand for India as a wellness destination

– Strengthen the ecosystem for medical and wellness tourism

– Enable digitalization by setting up an Online Medical Value Travel (MVT) Portal

– Enhancement of accessibility for Medical Value Travel

– Promoting Wellness Tourism

– Governance and Institutional Framework

What are the Steps taken for the Promotion of Medical and Wellness Tourism?

The Ministry of Tourism, releases global print, electronic and online media campaigns in important and potential markets overseas, under the ‘Incredible India’ brand line.

‘ Medical Visa ’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purposes to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment.

‘E- Medical Visa ’ and ‘ E-Medical Attendant Visa ’ have also been introduced for 156 countries. In this, triple entry is permitted and extension may be granted up to 6 months on case to case basis.

The Ministry of Tourism provides financial Assistance under Market Development Assistance Scheme to Medical Tourism Service Providers accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) for participation in Medical/ Tourism activities.

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India Emerging as a Medical Tourism Hub

Jun 24, 2022, 10:55

Introduction Medical tourism has seen increased traction where people are travelling across international borders to seek healthcare services. Activities that involve a foreign tourist travelling and staying at least one night at the destination for rejuvenating, restoring or maintaining health via medical intervention can be defined as medical tourism.

Since the last decade of the 20th century, India has emerged as a global leader in the medical tourism sector. According to estimates from the Ministry of Tourism, India witnessed 186,644 Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) for medical purposes in 2020, accounting for 7% of the total FTAs. The primary reasons why people travel for medical purposes include the low cost of treatment abroad, cultural aspect of the healthcare provider, common language and specific procedures not available in the domestic country.

Why is India gaining momentum? Over the past 30 years, India’s healthcare sector has made great strides as seen by the significant advancements it has achieved. Healthcare has been one of the biggest contributors to revenue and is growing at a fast pace. Public and private providers both contribute to the healthcare sector. National health policies have played a vital role over the past few years to create a more inclusive healthcare system, while aiming to achieve a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in a structured manner.

India has highly qualified medical professionals and state-of-the-art equipment. The medical services and facilities are backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). Moreover, India offers less expensive treatment options compared to the US and UK without compromising the quality of healthcare services. The treatment costs in India are around a quarter of those in America.

Comparison of prices of common medical procedures in India with other nations for Medical Value Travel (MVT) (in US$)

Source: NITI Aayog; Note: *High and Low prices are across major destinations for MVT including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey and South Korea

In terms of alternate medical treatment, the Indian medical treatment systems of yoga, ayurveda, rejuvenation therapy and panchakarma are among the most ancient methods of medical treatment in the world. The southern state of Kerala has developed medical tourism services as one of its core products for promoting tourism in the region.

Based on the Medical Tourism Index 2020-21, India is ranked 10th out of the top 46 countries, 12th out of the world’s top 20 wellness tourism markets and 5th out of 10 wellness tourism destinations in Asia-Pacific. India boasts of 39 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited and 657 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals.

Initiatives by the Government of India The Ministry of Tourism has taken several initiatives to promote India’s medical tourism industry.

Special provision has been made for tourists travelling to India for healthcare purposes. The Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced a new category of visa, Medical Visa, that can be issued to foreigners travelling to India for healthcare reasons.
In 2018, the government established a dedicated fund of US$ 641 million for enhancing 12 Champion Services Sectors, with MVT being one of them. The e-tourist visa launched in September 2014 to ease the visa regime was subsequently expanded to include medical visits.
The Marketing Development Assistance Scheme (MDA) offers financial assistance to approved tourism service providers.
Publicity materials, such as brochures and CDs, intended to promote medical and health tourism have been circulated in target markets by the Ministry of Tourism. Medical tourism has been announced on various international forums including ITP Berlin and World Travel Mart.

The government has implemented various initiatives to push India’s rise as a hub of medical tourism through promotion of ayurveda, yoga and other Indian systems of medicine in the international market. About US$ 381 million has been allocated for the Ministry of AYUSH in the Union Budget 2021-22 compared to the US$ 272 million allocated in the 2020-21 budget. In May 2022, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Central Minister of Health, Family Welfare, and Chemicals and Fertilizers, addressed the roundtable conference on Building Brand India in New Delhi. He highlighted how India is establishing itself as the focal point of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). Prime Minister Narendra Modi also recently announced plans to launch the AYUSH Mark. This mark will provide credibility to AYUSH products in India and promote India’s medical tourism sector. He also pointed out that for ayurveda treatment, the provision of medical visa and medical attendant visa has been made with 165 countries.

COVID-19 and its Impact During the nationwide lockdown in India due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, planned hospital operations dropped by as much as 80% while unplanned systems reduced by 66%.

The healthcare industry, supported by the Government of India, undertook a robust response plan to tackle the pandemic. Dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and isolation centres were set up, and tech-enabled mapping of resources was initiated. The Indian government also leveraged technology to deal with the pandemic and developed various applications. The Aarogya Setu app was used throughout the country to enhance syndromic mapping and contact tracing while also assisting in self-assessment of the infection. In addition to fulfilling its domestic needs, India rose to the occasion and supported other countries during these torrid times. During the Union Budget 2021-22, the government proposed an outlay of US$ 28.7 billion for health and well-being, up 137% from the previous year, with US$ 4.5 billion earmarked for COVID-19 vaccination.

After the pandemic, several healthcare players have set up additional facilities to cater to critical care or provide specialty services. Renowned hospitals in India are raising funds aggressively to fulfil their expansion plans.

Can India create a hub for medical tourism? To make India a brand in the medical tourism sector, what India needs, according to Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, is a system to obtain feedback/testimonials from tourists travelling to the country for medical purposes. He stated that a ‘one-step’ portal is expected to be introduced that will add to the convenience and provide credible information for medical tourists coming to India. Additionally, the number of JCI accredited hospitals is growing substantially. Critical factors such as trained medical professionals and doctors, fluency in english, availability of the latest medical technology and affordable medical treatment have helped India emerge as a hub for medical tourism. India has potential to deliver a world-class experience and, indeed, invite the world to its Heal in India initiative.

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Medical Tourism in India: Top destinations, scenarios and all you need to know

India in recent years has emerged as a major hub for medical tourism and is now considered among the top 6 medical value travel destinations in the world. here is all you need to know about it..

Medical Tourism , or Medical Value Travel, refers to the industry where international patients travel across the border for medical, cosmetic, or wellness treatments. India in recent years has emerged as a major hub for medical tourism and is now considered among the top 6 medical value travel destinations in the world. Its rapidly growing medical tourism industry has put Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Kochi on the globe for millions of people across Asia and Africa, who turn to these cities for all their surgical needs. Our unrivalled knowledge , top-notch doctors, extensive experience, and premier hospitals enable us to dominate the Indian medical tourism market. The patient can receive affordable treatment packages in India. (Also read: Kerala Tourism focuses on ‘responsible tourism’ to increase the livelihood of locals )

Medical Tourism: Top destination and scenario in India(istockphoto)

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Danish Ahmed, Founder, Healthtrip.com, shared important insights regarding medical tourism in India.

Medical tourism scenario in India:

Medical Tourism in India, in mid-2020, was estimated to be worth around USD 9 billion which makes India stand at Number 10 in the Global Medical Tourism Index. Approximately 2 million patients visit India each year from 78 countries for medical, wellness and IVF treatments, generating $6 billion for the industry which is expected to reach $13 billion by 2026 backed by the government’s Heal in India initiative. This not only generates jobs, profits and forex for hospitals but also creates very valuable soft power for India, positioning it as the Healing Center of the world. It also creates demand for high-end equipment, which results in continuous upgradation of Indian healthcare, resulting in a spiral of demand generating quality, generating more demand.

Why do they choose India:

India’s key advantage is the price at which it can deliver the world-class quality of healthcare, along with complementing treatments in Ayurveda, which gives it the unique positioning of Holistic Healthcare. Aptly called, Heal in India, the expected initiatives from the government will ease visa and forex norms for these patients, unlocking the tremendous potential of medical tourism in the country. India is known to be the land of natural medicines to the world. India and Ayurveda have a history that longs back in time.

Where are most medical tourists from:

Most of the tourists are from Asian or African countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Indonesia and Kenya, among others.

Top 5 medical tourism destinations in India:

Chennai: One of the most well-liked locations in India for receiving medical care. According to research by the Confederation of Indian Industries, almost 40% of patients choose Chennai because of the city's high standard of care. Chennai, the "health capital of India," sees foreign patients annually for hip replacements, eye surgeries, cardiac bypasses, bone marrow transplants, and alternative medical procedures.

Mumbai: It is the city with India's fastest expanding medical tourism industry, and is home to a number of super speciality hospitals as well as a Research and Diagnostic Center for orthopaedic and weight reduction procedures. Mumbai is also well-known for its Ayurvedic therapies and cosmetic surgery.

New Delhi: Numerous outstanding private hospitals, including ones that offer packages for general surgery, eye surgery, heart care, and neurosurgery to foreign patients, can be found in the nation's capital.

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad is another Indian city that is gradually rising to prominence as a centre for medical tourism. Many non-residents prefer seeking treatment in Ahmedabad because of its hospitals with top-notch amenities.

Bangalore: Due to the vast quantity of top-notch medical facilities and specialists among its medical professionals. These are Bangalore medical tourism's main attractions. There are also doctors in Bangalore who have had advanced training in the west with almost little wait time and quick access to medical care for visitors seeking treatment.

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Evaluate the policies and schemes that are being used to promote tourism in India amidst the impact of covid-19 pandemic.

Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

5. Evaluate the policies and schemes that are being used to promote tourism in India amidst the impact of covid-19 pandemic. (250 words)

Reference: The Hindu

Why the question: The Ministry of Tourism has released the Draft National strategy to promote medical, wellness, rural and other tourism sectors. And the article explains the impact of covid-19 on tourism. Key Demand of the question: Evaluate the policies and schemes that are being used to promote tourism in India amidst the impact of covid-19 pandemic. Directive: Evaluate – When you are asked to evaluate, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidences. You have to appraise the worth of the statement in question. There is scope for forming a personal opinion here. Structure of the answer: Introduction: Start with impact of covid-19 pandemic on tourism in the country. Body: Explain that in order to boost the tourism sector in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Tourism released three draft strategies with roadmaps to promote India as a rural and medical tourism destination and to position it as a place for conferences, meetings and exhibitions. Identification, diversification, development, and promotion of niche tourism products in the country is the initiative of the Ministry to overcome the aspect of ‘seasonality’ and to promote India as a 365 days’ destination, to attract tourists with specific interest, and to ensure repeat visits for the unique products in which India has a comparative advantage. Discuss various schemes and policies in this direction. Conclusion: Conclude with way forward.

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India to emerge as largest destination for medical tourism.

Danish Ahmed

CEO and co-founder Hospals Global

At the recently concluded Global Investment in Ayush Summit, India’s visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked passionately about India becoming a medical tourism hub for the world, serving and saving millions of lives each year. With all the macro factors favouring deep investments into Indian Medical Tourism opportunity, he set the vision of Heal in India becoming one of the biggest brands of the decade.

India’s medical travel industry started gaining momentum at the beginning of the last decade, as more private hospitals started reaching out to neighbouring countries to serve their patients. Pioneers such as Dr Reddy of Apollo, Dr Shetty of Narayana Healthcare led by example in serving patients from neighbouring Bangladesh and then expanding their service to Nepal. They were followed by Fortis, Medanta and Dr Rela establishing deep inroads into CIS, Middle East and Africa. To complement the effort of these hospitals, an industry of Medical Travel Facilitators came into force, marketing these hospitals and setting up offices in these regions to market Indian Healthcare.

Today, almost 2 million patients visit India each year from these regions, generating $4 billion in annual forex each year. But the future is looking much brighter.

India’s health minister Dr Mansukh Madaviya, under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, has designated Medical Tourism as a champion sector giving it an unprecedented push. The government is pulling out all stops to make India the No.1 Destination for Medical Tourism in the world, tripling it to $12 billion within 4 years, creating a new industry that generates millions of jobs across states. Never before has any Indian government given the sector such a consistent and comprehensive focus. But the Modi government fully appreciates its potential as a forex earner, job generator and brand ambassador of India’s soft power. Today, there are thousands of politicians & government officials from Africa & Asia, who would owe to Indian healthcare for saving the life of a dear one. This is a valuable asset for us in the ever-changing geo-politics.

However, to become the No.1 medical travel destination a lot needs to change. Significant investment has already gone into making Indian hospitals at par with global excellence in equipment & talent. However, almost no effort has gone into building the ecosystem to attract international patients. Patients spend 80-85% of their time in guesthouses around the hospitals, and that is where they get a bad experience and high chance of infection. Such guesthouses need to be standardised and hospitality players need to build patient specific hotels near hospitals. 80-90% of the international patients come to India through a Medical Travel Facilitator who acts like a travel agent and health advisor to the patient. Significant investment is required in these companies who are marketing Indian healthcare across 70+ countries through their offices, digital marketing and regular events. Standardisation needs to be brought into this segment of service providers urgently.

Insurance is another very large opportunity. Indian insurers should actively pursue the opportunity for selling Indian health insurance to foreigners. This could potentially generate additional $9 billion in premium and patient inflow to India.

Another opportunity in cross border telemedicine. India has already become the call centre for the world given its advantage in skill and cost. It could similarly become the Telehealth center of the world, healing people in India and through India.

Our unique knowledge and position in traditional medicine of Ayurveda is another advantage that needs to be adequate marketed to the world. While we’re already well known for Yoga, patients still don’t know the therapeutic potential of Ayurveda in treating diseases such as kidney failure, infertility, eye disorders etc. Under the leadership of India’s current health minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, a unique blend of integrated medicine is getting created where patients benefit from standardised traditional and modern medicine treatments, across pre, during and post surgery.

These initiatives, under the governments’ guidance is sure to make India the No.1 destination for Medical Tourism, saving millions of lives, generating valuable jobs and over $13 billion in forex.

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MEDICAL VALUE TRAVEL IN INDIA

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India hosted the ‘One Earth One Health – Advantage Healthcare India – 2023’ programme in New Delhi , in a bid to promote India as a hub for medical tourism.

MEDICAL AND WELLNESS TOURISM: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/national-strategy-and-roadmap-for-medical-and-wellness-tourism

Highlights of the Summit

With 500 foreign participants from over 70 countries, the two-day summit aimed to promote the export of medical services from India.
Another aim is to provide networking opportunities for Medical Value Travel (MVT) experts, industry stakeholders and professionals.
Highlighting the Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family), PM Modi said India sees medical value travel and health workforce mobility as important for a healthy planet.
Urging countries to invest in India’s medicine industry, he pointed out that India ranked tenth globally for medical tourism, as per the Medical Tourism Index 2020-2021 (MTI).

Medical Tourism: An Introduction

Atithi Devo Bhava ( अतिथि देवो भव :) is the core ethos of Indian hospitality, the guiding thought for hosts to go out of the way in treating guests with the same reverence as God. This philosophy guides the Indian tourism and hospitality sector to welcome tourists from all over the world and extend them an unforgettable experience.
Coupled with the vastness of Indian land and water bodies, the geographic and cultural diversities, and rich historical and natural heritage, India is one of the most remarkable tourist destinations in the world.
India also happens to have an extremely rich history of medicine going back to the Vedic times. Ayurveda, one of the oldest systems of medicine can be traced back to 8000 BCE. The Golden Age of Indian medicine can be traced back to 800 BCE and went on till 1000 CE, which witnessed the writing of Charak Samhita and Sushruta Samhita . Today, many modern methods of treatment and surgeries, such as rhinoplasty, find their roots in these literatures.
Over the years, more streams of medicine like Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy gained importance , along with Yoga and meditation, which are now acknowledged round the world for their health benefits.
Post-independence, as India has progressed exponentially in the field of modern medicine, it has created a unique ecosystem for holistic health that combines the best of modern healthcare, alternative medicine, and wellness.
It is the unison of this unique holistic health and wellness ecosystem, with its myriad possibilities that makes India the ultimate destination for Medical Value Tourism (MVT).

Defining Medical Tourism

Medical tourism — also known as medical value travel, health tourism or global healthcare — is the practice of travelling across international borders seeking medical services, mainly elective or complex surgeries .
Stakeholders in medical tourism include airlines, hospitals, wellness centres, and hotels, among others .
Currently, the most sought-after destination for such procedures is Canada with its favorable environment, its robust medical tourism industry, and its top-quality facilities and services.
While universal healthcare is available to its citizens, most government hospitals in Canada also cater to foreign patients.

Current State of Indian Medical Tourism

India is ranked 10th out of the top 46 countries in the world in the Medical Tourism Index 2020-21 by Medical Tourism Association.
Medical tourism in India has been on the rise in the past decade – with most patients hailing from Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
From 2015-2018, the number of foreign medical tourists steadily increased from 2.34 lakhs to 4.95 lakhs .
Apart from India’s neighbours, tourists from Iraq, Oman, Maldives, Yemen, Uzbekistan and Sudan chose India for medical services due to advanced facilities, skilled doctors and low cost of treatment.
NITI AAYOG pegged India’s MVT at $3 billion in 2015 and estimated it to grow at 15%. Moreover, it was estimated to rise to $9 billion by 2020, accounting for 20% of the global market share.
However, as the world shut down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, MVT dropped as well, with the number of foreign arrivals in India dropping to 1.83 lakhs.
As India imposed a strict lockdown to arrest the spread of the virus, MVT earnings dropped, failing to breach the predicted $9 billion mark.
The industry rebounded in 2021 as restrictions eased and war broke out between Russia and Ukraine , leading to a rise in the cost of treatment in the West. This pushed medical tourists to Asia and India in particular.
The Centre rolled out the ‘National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism’ in January 2022 to provide health services to the world at large.
Currently, India, ranked tenth with a score of 69.80 on the Medical Tourism Index, offers over 200 types of medical services ranging from fertility treatments to skincare.
The most sought-after treatments are cancer treatment and organ transplant surgeries, as these are 65-90% cheaper rates when compared to US, Europe, Australia or even Singapore .
India has 40 healthcare facilities accredited to the Joint Commission International (JCI) and 1400 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH)-accredited hospitals. It also accounts for 6% of the global MVT market.
NITI Aayog estimates that the Indian economy could earn an additional $9 billion by 2026 from MVT and wellness tourism . Globally, the MVT market is projected to grow from $13.98 billion in 2021 to $53.51 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 21.1%.

Why is India a preferred MVT destination?

India is a preferred location for medical tourists due to its cost-effective healthcare services, quality diagnostic equipment and trained doctors, with many of them fluent in English .
As per the Ministry of Tourism, India has 1000 recognized nurses-training centres with 10,000 nurses graduating annually.
India also has ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy and other traditional systems of medicine for the treatment of various ailments, promoting wellness tourism.

In a nutshell,

The following are some of the factors that make Indian healthcare services a medical tourist magnet.

International Level Healthcare Services

India has a strong health infrastructure with many state-of-the-art healthcare facilities offering treatment across specialities. Hospitals are equipped with the latest technologies needed to conduct complex medical procedures, and have exceptional facilities for post-operative care.
The facilities are managed by a highly skilled and adept healthcare workforce and administration staff led by reputed and world renowned medical practitioners and surgeons.The facilities ensure quality treatment services for a wide array of ailments, ranging from cosmetic enhancements to complicated cardiac, orthopaedic, and spinal surgeries.
There are around 37 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals and 513 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals in India. Clinical outcomes at leading NABH hospitals are comparable to those at internationally recognized facilities. While most of the JCI hospitals are concentrated in a few cities in the country, including Delhi and Mumbai, India is further focusing on increasing the number of JCI-accredited hospitals across other major cities of the country.

Superlative Allied Sectors

To deliver quality treatment, it takes a lot more than just a good hospital. India does not only have international quality healthcare services to its advantage but it also has robust allied sectors which make the healthcare ecosystem complete.
These include a strong pharmaceutical and diagnostic sector, rehabilitation services, a thriving quality medical devices industry, and a growing focus on medical R&D.

Diagnostics and medical devices sectors

India has cumulatively attracted over USD 25,300 million in its three key healthcare pillars, that of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, Hospitals and Diagnostics Centres, and Medical and Surgical Appliances in the last decade. Estimated at USD 11 billion, India happens to be the 4th largest medical device market in Asia, and is projected to reach USD 50 billion by 2025.
The diagnostics segment in the country is valued at USD 4 billion, with 25% of the market being capitalised by leading organised players.

Pharmaceutical industry

Exporting medicines to over 200 countries, India is known as the pharmacy of the world. With a market size of USD 41 billion, the sector is third largest globally by volume, with a 33% lower cost of production than the United States.
The quality compliance rate of Indian Pharmaceutical industry is extremely high. India has 664 US FDA approved facilities, over 2,050 World Health Organisation-Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) approved plants and over 697 European GMP compliant plants.
Consequently, India is the world capital of producing affordable, but high quality medicines. With 20% of global generic drugs exports by volume, the industry is world’s largest provider of generic medicines, producing 60,000 generic brands across 60 therapeutic categories.
Out of the top 20 global generic companies, 8 are Indian. Furthermore, around 62% of the global demand for vaccines is met by India.
All these factors make Indian healthcare service delivery add the essential reliability factor to high-end medical treatment, a decisive factor for medical tourism