India Emerging as Major Destination for Quality Healthcare
Government is focusing on several areas including quality standards and easy visa processes to make India a global
Key Takeaways
- India's healthcare market size is projected to expand from around USD 79 billion to USD 160 billion by 2017, driven by population and income growth.
- Hospital and laboratory accreditation and adherence to quality standards are critical to building visiting medical tourists' confidence in the Indian healthcare system.
- About 1.27 million foreign patients visit India annually from nations like the US, the UK, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and China for affordable quality care.
- India offers a full spectrum of treatments including allopathy, ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy at very low costs compared to western nations.
- Government initiatives include easing visa processes, expanding electronic visas, and proposing airport facilitation desks and relaxed fiscal laws for international medical travelers.
Government is focusing on several areas including quality standards and easy visa processes to make India a global destination for healthcare services, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia today said.
Ms Teaotia said the country was emerging as a major destination for quality and affordable healthcare sector. She added that the government is taking steps “in terms of making visas much more easy to obtain, much more flexible in terms of the administration.”
The secretary was addressing foreign and domestic delegates at the ‘Advantage Healthcare India 2015’ event organised by Ficci and the Commerce Ministry. Delegates from 65 countries are participating in the three-day event.
She emphasised on the need to focus on quality standards and accreditation of hospitals and laboratories to enhance confidence of visiting medical tourists in the Indian healthcare system.
Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are currently the market leaders in the global healthcare sector but “India is right up there and it is moving ahead” in terms of performance and market share over the years, she said. She said India is a great location for foreign patients “because this is a place where entire gamut of healthcare sector finds place”.
The market size of India’s healthcare sector is expected to increase to USD 160 billion by 2017 from around USD 79 billion currently.
Ms Teaotia said that growing population and increasing income have triggered the demand for quality healthcare services. Further she said that the cost of treatment in India is also very low compared to western countries.
“In India, you can get allopathy, ayurveda, yoga and nathuropathy,” she added.
Speaking at the event, Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi said that there is a need to market India as a top medical tourist destination.
About 1.27 million medical tourists are visiting India annually from countries including the US, the UK, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and China.
Facility of electronic-tourist visas have been extended by India to as many as 130 counties and in the coming years it will be increased to 150 countries.
Meanwhile, a white paper released during the event suggested several steps to tap the potential of the sector.
It recommended simplified and relaxed medical visa regulations for patients; multiple entry medical visa; medical facilitation desk at Indian airports and faster immigration facilities for international patients at airports.
“Fiscal laws to be relaxed for genuine foreign patients, allowing them to transfer money to India in case of additional requirements and single consultative platforms to facilitate medical tourism,” it added.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is hospital and laboratory accreditation important for attracting medical tourists to India?+
According to Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia, focusing on quality standards and the accreditation of hospitals and laboratories is essential to enhance the confidence of visiting medical tourists in the Indian healthcare system. Quality accreditation helps India compete effectively with current global healthcare leaders like Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.
What is the projected market size and growth driver for Indian healthcare?+
The market size of India’s healthcare sector is expected to increase from around USD 79 billion currently to USD 160 billion by 2017. This strong demand for quality healthcare services is primarily triggered by a growing domestic population and increasing income levels, alongside low treatment costs compared to western countries.
Where do medical tourists visiting India come from and how many arrive annually?+
About 1.27 million medical tourists visit India annually. These foreign patients arrive from several key countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and China. They choose India because it provides quality and affordable healthcare services, offering treatments at costs that are very low compared to western countries.
What medical systems and treatment options make India attractive to foreign patients?+
India is considered a great location for foreign patients because the entire gamut of the healthcare sector finds place in the country. International patients can access allopathy, ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy. Additionally, the overall cost of medical treatment in India is very low when compared with western countries.
What recommendations were made in the white paper to support international patients?+
The white paper released at the event recommended simplified and relaxed medical visa regulations, multiple entry medical visas, medical facilitation desks at Indian airports, and faster airport immigration facilities. It also suggested relaxing fiscal laws so genuine foreign patients can transfer money to India, along with single consultative platforms.
Written by
I&D Team
Healthcare Consulting Team
The I&D Hospital Solution team helps hospitals across India with empanelment, NABH accreditation, TPA tie-ups, hospital setup and growth consulting.