India and Medical Tourism

 It is really very wonderful to know, how fast things are changing in India. India, two decades ago and India now. It is an amazing change. India then was looked upon as a hopeless case but now it is one of the emerging power – economic, military and political as well. No longer, one has to drum about its ancient, cultural and traditional values. Because, there are now many things that will showcase our elevation to the advanced modern world. Economic progress has changed the quality of life of people. Tremendous advances that India has made in technological world, in space research, and atomic energy and even in the weaponry system including missiles and atom bomb, is a very thrilling and fascinating story to tell about. We are the leaders in the IT sector. Though we can produce and explode atom bomb, our commitment is to its peaceful uses and non-violence. We now talk about these principles from a position of strength and that’s why world listen to us. All of this because of formidable and all-round progress that we have made.

 

Very recently, our Prime Minister went through a cardiac surgery. He opted to do it here in India. When all the facts about his ailments and medical problems were put to him and when it was pointed out to him that there is no alternative to bypass surgery, he made his decision in 10 minutes to say yes to cardiac surgery and that too here in India with the help of Indian Doctors.

 

There was a time when political personalities and even common people who could afford, used to run to U.K., USA for such type of surgery, though we have then facilities and expert medical attention. The PM was confident about competence of the team of Indian doctors that was to attend on him. Ofcourse, now as I earlier said a sea change has taken place and we have well equipped hospitals along with professional and competent doctors. Lots of people from U.K., USA and from Gulf countries, regularly visit India for medical care. They opt for India for cardiac surgery, kidney and other transplants. The facilities here are upto the marks and the price they pay is very very reasonable compared to the prevailing price in countries they come from.

Apart from these modern medical system, which is based on Allopathy, India boasts of an alternative medicinal science which is ancient and which has a history of 5000 years. It is Ayurvedic medicinal system. The western world has now more or less accepted ayurveda. They are showing keen interest in its study. They still however maintain that it is not a science. We say it is, but we do not care to prove it in an accepted scientific manner. Even, Pandits from ayurvedic fraternity will admit ayurved does not say anything about surgical operations. Like ayurved, there are other

  

medicinal systems like Homeopathy, Panchkarma, Naturopathy etc. These systems are prevalent in many parts of our country. The front runner is Kerala. Like Maharashtra, Kerala uses medicinal herbs in the preparations of ayurvedic medicines. What is required is to stream line these different medicinal branches and derive benefits from their uses for us and for the visitors from abroad. Look, there is lot of scope for medical tourism. We have to aggressively follow this and attract more and more tourists for this purpose. Make medical tourism an integral part of our tourism policy.

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