Gujarat to push medical tourism

With Gujarat emerging as one of the preferred healthcare destinations in the county, the government is looking to promote the medical tourism concept in the state.

To begin with, it will send copies of a booklet, 'Gujarat medical tourism', to all embassies with the aim of attracting maximum "medical tourists" to the country.

A major reason behind the medical tourism gaining prominence in India, especially in Gujarat, is the high cost of medical treatment in the US and Europe.

The National Health Survey in the UK said the waiting list period in various specialities in the UK for both in-patients and out-patients is between three weeks to one year.

The cost of medical treatment in India is about one-third of that in the UK or the US. The hospital industry in the country, which is growing at a fast pace, is pegged at Rs one lakh crore.

Gujarat alone contributes to between 25 and 31 per cent of this figure, said officials of Apollo hospital, Ahmedabad, which has partnered with Vedic India, to promote medical tourism in the county.

Over 80,000 NRIs, a majority of whom are from Gujarat, visit India every year to get medical treatment. The medical tourism industry has been growing annually at 30 per cent and is estimated to be at Rs 1,500 crore.

Mukesh Shah, MD, Krishna Heart Institute, a super speciality hospital in Ahmedabad, said, "Ahmedabad is fast emerging as a preferred destination for cardiac healthcare in the international map."

Shah said earlier, Chennai and Mumbai were the preferred destinations, but now Ahmedabad and Gujarat are very popular. Over 70 per cent NRGs in the US, the UK and even the Gulf countries are aware of Krishna Institute, he said.

Dinesh Patel, managing director of Sterling Hospital in Ahmedabad, said non-resident Gujaratis formed a sizable chunk of all NRIs,until a few years ago.