According to an official of Apollo Hospitals group Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement at the 18th SAARC summit of issuing visas fast to patients from SAARC nations will boost medical tourism in the country.
The health care industry officials said the healthcare industry, at large, had always expressed anxiety about protocols and procedures that foreign patients had to go through to avail medical treatment in India. While medical and clinical excellence always attracted patients, strict protocols and inflexible rules diverted patients to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, they added.
Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman Apollo Hospitals Group, termed the announcement “well-timed”.
Industry officials say a substantial number of patients are from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan come to India for treatment.
These are nations that lack tertiary care and hence patients come looking for medical expertise and world class healthcare. Most of the patients come in for orthopedic, oncology and cardiac care. However, the size of the segment is considerably high and demand exists for all super specialties, they said.
