What Makes Kolkata an Upcoming Medical Tourism Hotspot for South East Asia?

Over the last few years, the Medical tourism industry has been growing in India. From $3 billion in 2015, it is projected to grow to $9 billion by 2020. With an increasing globalization, a number of people are traveling in search of better quality and affordable health care options. This is where countries with low medical costs, availability of latest medical technologies and a growing compliance on international quality standards are attracting patients from different countries across the world.

In 2014, around 185,000 patients visited India for various treatments and surgeries. The number is only increasing with a large number of medical tourists coming to the country from the US, UK, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iraq, Oman, Maldives, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Saudi Arabia.

Major cities, such as Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Delhi receive the highest number of foreign patients, primarily from South Eastern countries due to the close proximity and the ease of getting medical visa. The patients mostly look for alternative medicine, bone-marrow transplant, cardiac bypass, eye surgery and hip replacement.

While many cities are attracting a number of medical tourists, Kolkata has the potential to become a major medical tourism destination for South Asia, with its rapidly growing healthcare infrastructure. It is home to some of the biggest hospitals in the country. Apart from this, special offers and NRI health cards provided by private healthcare providers like AMRI Hospitals, one of the best hospital in Eastern India, are offering special benefits to the foreigners and Indians residing in the US, UK, UAE, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and other countries around the globe.

It’s not only an affordable option, but a good opportunity to visit the country as well. Many patients plan their surgeries or medical treatment citing lower healthcare costs, without compromising on the quality of the treatment.

“There is a great possibility of turning Kolkata into a health tourism hub for South East Asian countries, Bangladesh and Nepal, with the rapidly growing healthcare infrastructure in the city,” said Debashis Sen, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department, West Bengal.

In a bid to strengthen the state’s medical infrastructure, the Government of West Bengal has allotted land to some upcoming healthcare facilities, including Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Shankara Nethralaya, a global organ transplant hospital and certain other specialty hospitals at Rajarhat New Town.

Additionally, the Tata Medical Centre for cancer research at Rajarhat is one of the major healthcare facilities in the city. A hospital for cardiac international patients is also under construction in the state. The government has allotted land for the development of a trauma care center and school of paramedical science as well.

With such state-of-the-art medical centers in the West Bengal, the state can compete as a medical tourism destination in the region. The healthcare sector in the state is heading in the right direction, and may just turn into the country’s biggest hotspot for medical tourism.