India Medical Tourism Earnings to Grow $2 Billion by 2012

The easy access to visa facilities often permitted by India to overseas patients, coupled with the best emerging medical infrastructure facilities in its large and tertiary towns, means the prospects of India Medical Tourism becoming a lead foreign exchange earners will grow to an extent of Rs. 80 billion ($2 billion) by 2012.

The above findings are arrived at by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) on Prospects of Medical Tourism for Higher Forex Earning’ under the supervision of its Health Committee chaired by Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr. B K Rao in which other lead doctors from Medicity Moolchand, AIIMS, Max etc. are involved.

Releasing the ASSOCHAM estimates, its president, Mr. Venugopal N. Dhoot pointed out that currently, the earnings accrued through medical tourism annually are estimated at Rs.35 billion ($0.87 billion).

The primary reasons as to why medical tourism would flourish in India include much lower medical costs for various ailments such as bone narrow transparent, bye-pass surgery, knee surgery and liver transplant as compared to western countries.

The other reasons as to why India would emerge as a lead hub for excellent medical treatment is because of its strength of highly qualified medical professionals and even equally higher qualities of availability of nurses.

India has about 700,000 qualified doctors and numbers of qualified nursing graduates and diploma holders are equally good and of high professional caliber who are content and satisfied with reasonable professional fees.