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 2,297,794,117 USD will be added to the revenues of these players". The Indian government predicts that India's $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.

Price advantage is a major selling point. The slogan, thus is, "First World treatment' at Third World prices". The cost differential across the board is huge: only a tenth and sometimes even a sixteenth of the cost in the West. Open-heart surgery could cost up to $70,000 in Britain and up to $150,000 in the US; in India's best hospitals it could cost between $3,000 and $10,000. Knee surgery (on both knees) costs 350,000 rupees ($7,700) in India; in Britain this costs £10,000 ($16,950), more than twice as much. Dental, eye and cosmetic surgeries in Western countries cost three to four times as much as in India.

India have a lot of hospitals offering world class treatments in nearly every medical sector such as cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, joint replacement, orthopaedic surgery, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, transplants and urology to name a few. The various specialties covered are Neurology, Neurosurgery, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, ENT, Paediatrics, Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Neurology, Urology, Nephrology, Dermatology, Dentistry, Plastic Surgery, Gynaecology, Pulmonology, Psychiatry, General Medicine & General Surgery

For long promoted for its cultural and scenic beauty, India is now being put up on international map as a heaven for those seeking quality and affordable healthcare. Analysts say that as many as 150,000 medical tourists came to India in 2004. As Indian corporate hospitals are on par, if not better than the best hospitals in Thailand, Singapore, etc there is scope for improvement, and the country is becoming a preferred medical destination. In addition to the increasingly top class medical care, a big draw for foreign patients is also the very minimal or hardly any waitlist as is common in European or American hospitals.

Leisure Tourism is already very much in demand in India as the country offers diverse cultural and scenic beauty. India has almost all sort of destinations like high mountains, vast deserts, scenic beaches, historical monuments, religious temples etc. Known for its hospitality for tourists, the county has opened doors to welcome with the same hospitality f medical patients/ service seekers.

Health Tourism India care travel agency facilitated a Abdomen Liposuction procedure for me with one of their on panel USA Board certified Lady cosmetic plastic surgeon doctor (Diplomat American board of Plastic surgery and Diplomate American board of surgery) in New Delhi India, as well as arranged for medical vacation travel and recuperation holiday tours in Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi India and Katmandu in Nepal. Health Tourism India company staff helped me along every step of the medical health travel abroad in India. Health Tourism India patient care guide took me on personal tours of many places around New Delhi and arranged for all of my patient transportation, patient accommodations, and tours through out my medical health trip to India.

The medical care facility and USA board certified doctor in New Delhi, India were exceptional. Being an EMT / Pre Med student in the US I have a lot of experience with hospitals, patient care services and a good general knowledge of medicine, and the health care facilities in India are more than adequate. In addition the medical and nursing care staff in Indian hospitals treats you like you are their friend. The patient food in the hospital was great and the stay in nurse treated me just as well as my Mom would have. I will definitely be returning to India at some point in the future, and I hope Health Tourism India will be able to assist me again!

L. L.
Colorado, USA

I wish to reflect on my visit to India for the knee surgery.

I would like to register my profound appreciation for the professional manner in which Health Tourism India conducted my diagnosis, right from the moment I had made contact with Health Tourism India, to the reception on my arrival and lastly the efficient Hospital admission for the treatment. At no time did I feel my time wasted and the whole process went like clockwork!

I am happy to confirm that the Hospital staff were very friendly and attended to all my health care needs. The Nutritionist at the hospital is especially worthy of praise for her great concern and encouragement to ensure that I never missed a single meal!

Please continue with your good work of bringing healing to the people of the world! I will definitely talk well of Health Tourism India!!

God bless you!

D. M, C.,
Egypt

My wife required a health surgery procedure as suggested by the Cardiologist in our home country. The medical care for Cardiology- heart care procedure is not very advanced in our country so we searched on internet for the information on the best of global health care and contacted with Health Tourism India health care in India. We sent all the medical records to Health Tourism India for medical evaluation and always received quick responses to all of our medical tour concerns sent to them. On getting convinced of the quality of the heart hospital facility at Mumbai in India, we planned for our health care travel. We were taken care by Health Tourism India representatives and got the treatment at the best modern heart care hospital facility which has very advanced technologies for cardiac heart surgery in India. The heart hospital at Mumbai was accredited by JCI - USA. The Cath Lab and all the medical services at the hospital were excellent, medical care by the staff, nursing and the treatments provided by the heart surgeons was much better than our expectations. We are thankful to Health Tourism India for arranging very good facilitation services for us always, including our peaceful stay, on time and very efficient assistance and all the kind help offered during our visit.
G. N.
Kampala, Uganda

Health Tourism India performs successful Complex Cardiac Surgery for a 30 year old Nigerian Lady under Harvey Super Specialties Hospitals:

Ms Tanko Ashabi Kudirat, aged 30, a Nigerian Citizen residing in Lagos, afflicted by Rheumatic disease needing correction of her heart valve was diagnosed as having a severe leakage and narrowing of her mitral valve (Mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation) and severe pulmonary hypertension. She was in NYHA Class III-IV heart failure with fluid collection around her lungs.

Her condition warranted immediate Heart Valve Corrective Surgery. Dr Idris, Yekinni, the Doctor based in UK, attending on Ms Tanko (and also a relative of Ms Tanko), after evaluating various options (of having the Surgery done in UK / Other Countries Zeroed in on Harvey Super Specialties Hospital in Chennai under Health Tourism India .

Ms Tanko was referred to Health Tourism India , And Health Tourism ( Healthcare Consultants ) had forwarded the case to , Dr M P Naresh Kumar, MS. Mch FRCS (Edin), a leading expert on heart valve correction surgery and Chairman and Chief Cardiac Surgeon of Harvey Hospital.

Ms Tanko traveled to India & arrived at Harvey on 25th Nov. 06. After undergoing all relevant blood tests, echocardiogram, 64 slice CT Coronary Angiogram and full evaluation she underwent Open Heart Surgery on 28th Nov. 06 which was done by a team of Doctors headed by Dr M P Naresh Kumar, who explained that the Operation lasted 4 Hours & that Her mitral valve was found to be severely narrowed and leaking. This was corrected by Mitral valvotomy, papillotomy and ring annuloplasty using St Jude 27 mm flexible ring (SJM tailor annuloplasty ring). Dr Naresh Kumar further added that the above procedure corrected the leak and the narrowing of her own native mitral valve and she has recovered from her Surgery and is doing well. Her Post Operative echocardiogram reveals a normally functioning valve with no evidence of narrowing or leakage.

Dr Naresh Kumar further emphasized that usually in these situations the diseased valve is removed and replaced with either a mechanical or tissue valve. But these valve replacement surgeries are fraught with problems of anticoagulation (blood-thinking) medicines, future bleeding, clotting and inability to undergo pregranancy (which would be a pity especially in young child bearing women). In this instant case with the preservation of the Patient's own valve, by repair of diseased valve by (using innovative techniques) problems of anti coagulation and sudden valve failure leading to death has been prevented. The Surgery done gives the patient trouble free, medicine free future without heart failure - a major boon - vindicating the trust and confidence reposed on Indian expertise & fully serving the purpose for which the patient came & got admitted in Harvey Hospital under Health Tourism India .

Ms Tanko is expected to be fully fit for travel back to Lagos We would like to place on record our sincere appreciation and thanks to both Dr Idris Yekinni(UK) and Mr. Abdul Quadir (HTI) for their very important role in the matter. Thanks to them - Ms Tanko has now got the best possible International treatment and that too at value for money.

Ms Tanko is now very cheerful - feels much better and has been thanking the Doctor Team & para Medical team in Harvey for a job well done. She is also very happy with the hospitality . Her sister who accompanied Ms Tanko Ashabi Kudirat as her attendant is also fine and very cheerful.

Dr Naresh Kumar also explained that Health Toursim India is catching up in a big way in India and Chennai being the medical Capital of India is poised to benefit enormously. The Expected revenues by 2012 under Health Tourism India is US $ 5.0 Billion a year and every year over a Million are expected to travel to India for Health Tourism India . Harvey has already treated patients from USA; Middle East; Bangladesh; Sri Lanka; South Africa and this is the first from Nigeria (West Africa) and that too amidst competition worldwide.