The countries where medical tourism is being actively promoted
include Greece, South Africa, Jordan, India, Malaysia, Philippines
and Singapore. India is a recent entrant into medical tourism.
According to a study by McKinsey and the Confederation of
Indian Industry, medical tourism in India could become a $1
billion business by 2012. The report predicts that: By
2012, if medical tourism were to reach 25 per cent of revenues
of private up-market players, up to Rs 10,000 crore will be
added to the revenues of these players. The Indian government
predicts that Indias $17-billion-a-year health-care
industry could grow 13 per cent in each of the next six years,
boosted by medical tourism, which industry watchers say is
growing at 30 per cent annually.
In India, the Apollo group alone has so far treated 95,000
international patients, many of whom are of Indian origin.
Apollo has been a forerunner in medical tourism in India and
attracts patients from Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle
East. The group has tied up with hospitals in Mauritius, Tanzania,
Bangladesh and Yemen besides running a hospital in Sri Lanka,
and managing a hospital in Dubai.
Another corporate group running a chain of hospitals, Escorts,
claims it has doubled its number of overseas patients - from
675 in 2000 to nearly 1,200 this year. Recently, the Ruby
Hospital in Kolkata signed a contract with the British insurance
company, BUPA. The management hopes to get British patients
from the queue in the National Health Services soon. Some
estimates say that foreigners account for 10 to 12 per cent
of all patients in top Mumbai hospitals despite roadblocks
like poor aviation connectivity, poor road infrastructure
and absence of uniform quality standards.
Analysts say that as many as 150,000 medical tourists came
to India last year. However, the current market for medical
tourism in India is mainly limited to patients from the Middle
East and South Asian economies. Some claim that the industry
would flourish even without Western medical tourists. Afro-Asian
people spend as much as $20 billion a year on health care
outside their countries Nigerians alone spend an estimated
$1 billion a year. Most of this money would be spent in Europe
and America, but it is hoped that this would now be increasingly
directed to developing countries with advanced facilities.
Medical Tourism in India,
Medical Tourism Industry in
India, Medical Tourism
Industry Growth in India, Medical
Tourism in India, Public
Health Services Medical Tourism
in India, Medical Treatment
in India, Health Care in India,
Treatment in India
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