People are venturing out again, shaking off the COVID travel jitters, as governments have lifted restrictions, and have started visiting other countries for medical treatments, aesthetic and wellness experiences.
Though the Indian medical tourism industry was hit by COVID, it has been able to make a comeback, and would be further boosted by Indian government initiatives. To draw medical and wellness tourists to India, the government of India has been preparing to launch the ‘Heal in India’ project. The new policy would include not just medical tourism, but also widen its definition by bringing in the wellness sector comprising segments such as naturopathy, yoga and Ayurveda etc.
Apart from the Union Health Ministry, the other stakeholders of ‘Heal in India’ are the ministries of civil aviation, tourism, commerce, Ayush (ministry for traditional medicines) and some hospitals as well as state governments.
COVID has changed the way people world over, view health and healthcare. People are looking for health strategies which address mental and emotional wellbeing, apart from physical wellbeing. Marketing of the ‘Heal in India’ initiative in countries such as the US, UK, European, African, and Middle Eastern countries could ensure footfall of thousands of medical tourists and wellness seekers thus boosting this industry.
India now can become one of the leaders of Medical Value Tourism or MVT as it can deliver the age-old natural healing methods such as Yoga, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and more. As these alternative treatments provide immunity boosting therapies, relieve stress, improve wellness, medical tourism facilitator companies should include them as part of their package.
Indian medical and wellness professionals are experts in their fields and comparable to healthcare professionals worldwide. Their expertise and their wish to help patients/wellness seekers to incorporate these therapies into their day to day life, can also play a major role in the growth of medical tourism in India.
India has been able to attract patients from all over the world, especially from West Asia, South Asia and Africa due to the state-of-the-art hospitals, excellence of doctors, low costs and no waiting period. The private hospitals, medical tourism facilitator companies and other stakeholders need to market Indian medical tourism digitally for maximum reach.
Another Indian government initiative is the ‘Heal by India’, which is currently being designed to develop a database comprising of Indian doctors and nurses in order to send them abroad. This would also help to broadcast India’s image as having the best healthcare providers. Recently, India’s feat of supplying vaccines and medicines to more than 100 countries has brought it international acclaim.
At the ministerial meeting of World Trade Organization (WTO), the Indian negotiators did their best to include services like telehealth in an outcome document keeping in mind future pandemics, a move which would help the Indian healthcare industry provide healthcare in a very structured manner.
Indian medical tourism companies are already adapting the digital transfer of medical records of patients which is helping to make the medical tourism process faster and more accessible to foreign patients. Many providers are offering the telehealth service to patients thus facilitating certain treatments in areas where superior healthcare consultation is lacking, as well as helping patients get diagnosed in their home countries, after which they can travel to India for medical treatment they need.
Many corporate hospital chains are projecting medical tourism in India to regain the pre-pandemic levels by the second quarter of 2023’s financial year. With continued support from the government, and by using digital media marketing globally as well as word of mouth advertising, the Indian medical tourism industry is projected to grow to greater heights post COVID.
