Centre to take measures to improve medical tourism.

In the efforts to build the brand India for its budding medical tourism industry by attracting people across the world for its inexpensive medical treatments, the union government of India is developing plans to launch a portal to provide some credible information for those who wish to take medical treatment in India. It has also been considering setting up several facilitation centers across the countries to support the foreign medical tourists.

Union minister of health and family welfare and chemicals and fertilizers of India, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, said that India, with its high-end, inexpensive healthcare ecosystem and world-class medical facilities, has become a powerful attraction for the whole world while addressing the roundtable conference with senior IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officers on Building Brand India at Vigyan Bhawan,

Highlighting the government’s need to take steps to strengthen the budding Medical Value Tourism further, he suggested establishing facilitation centers at the Indian Embassies across the world for the international tourists wanting to travel to India for treatment. In addition, a medical system to receive feedback and testimonials from tourists who are already getting treated in India should be instituted. These measures will help the country make medical tourism a ‘Brand India.’

He commented that a ‘One Step’ portal is being created for the convenience and ease of credible information for those who wish to take treatment in India from abroad.

Commenting on the efforts to sign agreements with other countries for mutual services in the medical sector, the union minister of health and family welfare and chemicals and fertilizers of India, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, noted that the country already has an agreement with Japan to provide skilled nurses. Such bilateral agreements have also been made with several other countries to deliver a skilled medical workforce. He added that one should explore these possibilities to promote medical value tourism.

Commenting on the efforts to sign agreements with other countries for mutual services in the medical sector, the union minister of health and family welfare and chemicals and fertilizers of India, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, noted that the country already has an agreement with Japan to provide skilled nurses. Such bilateral agreements have also been made with several other countries to deliver a skilled medical workforce. He added that one should explore these possibilities to promote medical value tourism.

India has already established itself as the focal point of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy). It has also recently launched the ‘AYUSH mark,’ aiming to provide the desired authenticity to AYUSH(Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) products in India and to promote the traditional medicinal system industry.

A Special Visa Category has also been created for those coming to India to get AYUSH treatment from other countries. The legal provision of Medical Visa and Medical Attendant Visa has also been made in 165 countries to get Ayurveda treatment.

He invited everyone to share suggestions for further strengthening the medical tourism sector and making India a ‘Global Medical Hub’ in line with the cultural spirit of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava.’ That will benefit the Medical Tourism industry, Healthcare Sectors, and India’s other service industries.

According to the Medical Tourism Index 2020-21 released by the Medical Tourism Association, India is currently ranked in 10th position out of the top 46 countries, 12th in the world’s top 20 wellness tourism countries, 5th in the top 10 wellness tourism markets in Asia-Pacific region. The medicinal treatment costs in India are 65 to 90% less than the cost of treatment in the United States of America. There are over 39 Joint Commission International (JCI) and 657 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals in India. Such credits show equal to or better than Global Quality Standards and Benchmarks.

To further boost Medical Tourism, the union government of India has launched national ‘Heal in India’ and ‘Heal by India’ programs which will provide an opportunity for India’s medical workforce to travel all over the world and contribute toward a healthy global society, he asserted.

“We are committed to making India a Global Medical Value Hub by further strengthening our traditional medicine industry and boosting ‘Heal in India’ & ‘Heal by India’ initiatives,” he added.