Rajasthan govt plans to bring a policy to promote medical tourism

The Rajasthan government is planning to bring a policy to promote medical tourism, an official of the medical and health department of the state said.

“We have started to seek views on the policy. We have organised a session with doctors and medical colleges, both private and government,” the official added.

The official said the policy, named ‘Heal in Rajasthan’, would make Rajasthan a model state in the health sector and would create investment and employment opportunities. “Other enterprises, including pharma and hotel business, would also get a boost,” he said.

The official said the policy would be the first of its kind, recognising the significant potential of medical value travel as a dual engine for developing world class health care services and promoting tourism.

 

According to the draft policy, Rajasthan’s health care infrastructure is robust and continually expanding. There are over 8,000 hospitals in the government and private sector. Out of these, over 400 are multi-speciality or super-speciality institutions.

The state has 35 medical colleges and 16 dental colleges in the government and private sector, contributing to a well-trained pool of health care professionals.

“Health care is a core priority for the state, with over Rs 27,000 crore allocated in the Budget, marking a significant increase than last year (from 7.4 per cent to 8.2 per cent).”

The draft policy would aim to establish hubs for medical tourism, catering to both domestic and international tourists for secondary, tertiary and quaternary care procedures, establish hubs for AYUSH-based wellness tourism with a blend of traditional Indian therapies in Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy in combination with Rajasthan’s rich cultural heritage.

The official said that under Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya (MAA) health infrastructure mission, the state government proposes to spend over Rs 15,000 crore over the next 3 years mainly on improving super-speciality/tertiary care facilities, facility establishment, upgradation among others.

This draft policy document articulates the commitment of the State Government to nurturing an ecosystem that supports medical excellence and cultural richness, thereby offering a well-rounded experience and boosting the state’s economic vitality through increased international and domestic travel.