K'taka wants to promote health park in B'lore

With Bangalore fast emerging as a medical tourism destination, the Karnataka government has proposed to set up a 'Health Park' in Bangalore to foster the growth of the sector.

"Over the last four years, city-based private hospitals have been attracting a lot of medical tourists from Asian countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives and a few African nations. These hospitals offer low cost but world class medical treatment. Our intention is to develop a health park to promote medical tourism," Karnataka's health and family welfare minister R Ashok told Business Standard here.

He pointed out that preliminary reports revealed positive response from private sector hospitals towards the health park project. "A formal meeting of the representatives from the top private hospitals in the country will be convened shortly. We will come out with the project blueprint at the earliest," he added.

According to a report prepared by the consultancy McKinsey and the Confederation of Indian Industry, the medical tourism industry in India has the potential to generate Rs 10,000 crore in revenues by 2012. "Our intention is to grab a chunk of this revenue. Bangalore is already known globally for its achievements in the IT sector. We want to take advantage of Bangalore?s brand," the minister stated.

The health park will be spread over 100 acres on the city?s outskirts. "We are yet to identify the location for the park. But we are keen on setting it up near the upcoming Bangalore International Airport in Devanahalli to ensure that medical tourists do not face any hardships in reaching the hospitals. But the details will be worked out only after consulting the private sector hospitals," he explained.

The government will allot land to the hospitals and provide basic infrastructure like power, water, roads and transport service. "The private sector hospitals will have to invest on the buildings and the services. The health park will more or less function on the lines of the IT parks," Ashok pointed out.

He contended that the health park will generate employment for the local population apart from earning crucial foreign exchange.

"Private hospitals in New Delhi and Chennai have started attracting patients from developed countries like the UK and Canada. We will invite such hospitals to start their ventures in Bangalore also," he added.

The minister maintained that the health park project was purely a business venture for the state government.

"I do not expect any government hospital to function in the health park since it cannot compete with the private hospitals. However, the hospitals that operate from the health park have to treat all category of patients, including local and those from other states," he asserted.

He said that the government will tie up with the hospitals to offer subsidised treatment for the poor under various welfare schemes.

"Besides, the revenue earned from the health park will be pumped into improving services and healthcare in government hospitals," he stated.