Health insurance to drive healthcare tourism

Gujarat is the first state to announce a healthcare tourism policy.

Listing out facilitators that would induce growth of healthcare tourism, Vinayshil Gautam, founder director, IIM-Kozhikode, suggested that India needs growth in the health insurance market, along with accredited agencies in the sector.

Gautam was one of the speakers at a business interactive meet on 'Healthcare Tourism: Opposition for India' organised by Export-Import Bank of India in the city.

"Although healthcare tourism is growing at a rate of 20 per cent, its growth can be boosted by growth in the health insurance market. Moreover, there has to be a balanced ratio between health and tourism," he said.

He emphasised that healthcare tourism needs a balance in infrastructure development in both health and tourism sectors.

Amarjit Singh, commissioner (health), Gujarat government, said the state had been pioneering in this sector and has set a benchmark for other states.

"Gujarat is the first state to have announced a healthcare tourism policy. We have also signed around eight MoUs worth Rs 2,092 crore. Gujarat has very well realised its role and has been doing its best to develop this sector," said Singh.

RMV Raman, adviser to chairman and managing director, Export-Import Bank of India, said the meet had been held to raise certain issues like infrastructure including hotels, hospitals, airports, etc, accreditation and standardisation, penetration of health insurance and role of government and industry.

Other speakers at the meet included Bharat Gadhvi, medical director, Sterling Hospitals; Mani Iyer, director, Intas Bio Pharma; P D Vaghela, managing director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd; and Mohammad Slaoui, minister for economy and trade, Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco.