Currently, the size of the medical tourism industry in India is estimated to be over $3 billion, which is expected to grow to a $6 billion industry by 2018.
The health tourism industry in India has enlisted an annual growth rate of 20% and is predicted to become the top most medical tourism destination in the world within the next couple of years.
The reason that makes India one of the best medical tourism destinations in the world includes many facets. Starting from state of the art medical facilities to low cost of treatment all contributed majorly to the popularity of India as a destination for medical tourism.
This article aims to highlight on the specific aspects that has propelled the medical tourism industry of the country to its present status and is believed to drive even higher with time.
- One of the primary reasons for India becoming a popular medical tourism spot is the low cost of treatment in the country. When compared to the first world countries like, US and UK, medical care in India costs as much as 60-90% lesser, which makes it a great option for the citizens of those countries to opt for medical treatment in India. The cost of medical care in India is lower than all the other popular medical tourism destinations across the globe, including, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Hence, India makes an appeasing option for medical tourists looking for medical care at an affordable cost. A heart bypass surgery which costs around $130,000 in U.S., $19,000 in Singapore and around $12,000 in Thailand costs something around $10,000 in India. The gap is prominent for all the major and complicated surgeries and medical treatments. In addition to that Indian national rupee growing weak against dollar over time makes the treatment even cheaper for the medical tourists of foreign countries.
- The quality of medical care available in India has improved drastically and currently as far as quality of available medical care is concerned, it can compete efficiently with any other first world country. The medical sector of India has been powered by the latest technological developments that have added immensely to the standard of medical care offered. The medical infrastructure of the country has experienced a steep growth and different newer methods of surgeries are being practiced here with commendable success rate.
- Another point propelling the growth of the Indian medical tourism industry is the availability of a wide range of medical treatments under the same roof. The private hospitals of India attracting maximum medical tourists offer a wide range of surgeries and treatments in order to meet the medical needs of the patients. Availability of specialized treatment for different types of medical complications certainly adds to the amount of medical tourists visiting the country every year.
- India has a strong base of highly qualified and trained medical practitioners from a wide range of medical fields. The number of registered doctors in India is high and many world renowned doctors belong from India. Hence, patients looking for specialized doctors for advanced surgeries are generally attracted to the country as medical tourists. Indian medical industry also has a high number of skilled nurses and technicians. The scarcity of skilled and experienced bed side nurses, which has become a prominent problem in most of the first world countries, is not evident in India. The country still holds a rich base of well trained and experienced nursing staffs and technicians, ensuring a better medical care.
- As far as medical tourism is concerned India holds an unspoiled image in the world market. A huge number of medical tourists visit the country every year with their medical complications and leave with a satisfying experience. The medical tourism industry of India vows for least post-operative complications and a great post- discharge care, thus making it an ideal option for patients seeking medical treatment in overseas countries.
- The government of India is also promoting the country as a hub for medical tourism. In order to boost the industry, the government has laid down a number of favorable rules for patients landing in the country for medical treatments. A number of schemes pertaining to medical tourism have also been introduced in order to facilitate the sector.
