 "India fast emerging as medical tourism hub: President Ram Nath Kovind")
President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said India is providing the most affordable medical facilities in the world and people from abroad, especially the neighbouring nations, visit the hospitals in the country to avail the health care services.
He also said that India is fast emerging as a medical tourism hub.
"India has the cheapest medical facilities in the world and in the hospitals, especially in Delhi, people from neighbouring countries are found getting treatment more than the local patients," Kovind said here after inaugurating 'Arogya Manthan', a conference on the topic 'One Nation, One Health System'.
Referring to the coronavirus pandemic, Kovind said an invisible disease started plaguing the country two-and-a-half years back.
"Only one or two per cent people remained unaffected by it," he said.
He praised the country's scientists and doctors for their efforts in developing a vaccine that saved the lives of people.
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"Hundred years back, when a pandemic broke out, it killed crores of people at one go. But the situation has now changed with the development of vaccines," the president added.
He said that during his recent visit to Jamaica and Saint Vincent, he participated in eight functions wherein the leaders of those countries praised India for providing vaccines against COVID-19 to them in their hour of need.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent 50,000 Covishield vaccine doses each to Jamaica and St Vincent free of cost. The top leaders of both the countries did not get tired of praising India for its humanitarian gesture," he said.
President Kovind said that while he focused on enhancing the bilateral ties between India and the countries he visited, the leaders there were more interested in knowing about India's medical facilities.
"India is fast emerging as a hub of medical tourism, where health care facilities and institutional treatment are available easily," he said.
Praising Arogya Bharti, which was established in Kerala to provide health care services, Kovind said its team is active in 85 per cent districts of the country.
The president also praised the government for its move to introduce 'One Nation-One Health System'.
Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also addressed the programme.