India to remain on top in medical tourism: Dr Cherian

India will remain on top in medical tourism for at least a decade despite attempts from countries like China and Japan to tap into the flourishing business as Indian hospitals have English language and skilled manpower advantages, a leading Indian cardiac surgeon has said.
"India's biggest advantage is the language and human technology which cannot be easily replaced", Dr K M Cherian, who is a regular invitee of the Chinese government to address the medical faculties of hospitals as well as to operate in different facilities, told PTI here.
India, which made strong forays into global medical tourism with its well established corporate hospitals would retain its top position at least for a decade, Cherian said, referring to efforts by China and Japan to break into the lucrative business.

"They cannot do it for the next 10 years. Having equipment and hospitals is not enough. The main problem for them is the language", the 71-year-old Chennai-based doctor said, highlighting that India's main advantage was the English language.
Also the Indian medical expertise is turning out to be the soft power of the country, he said.
"They (countries like China and Japan) have technology but human technology is missing. That is where we make a difference. Indian doctors are well accepted all over the world," Cherian said.

Besides performing the first coronary artery bypass surgery in India in 1975 and country's second heart transplant, Cherian also conducted the first infant cardiac surgery and the first heart and lung transplant.

He is also a pioneer in surgeries using tissue engineered conduits, autologous stem cells in heart diseases.
Cherian who performed surgeries all over the world has visited China five times in the last few years.
He performed surgeries along with fellow Chinese doctors in three hospitals, including a military hospital of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Cherian was invited this time by the Tsinghua University here to take part in the 'International Symposium on Advancement of Cardio Vascular Surgery and Cardiology' where he spoke on Palliative surgery.
Cherian has founded several medical and research institutions, including the Frontier Lifeline Hospital and Heart Foundation which was named after him.

He sees a great scope for Indian corporate hospitals and pharmaceuticals to do very well in China as and when the country permits functioning of private hospitals, like in India.