India
can generate $5 billion through health tourism
New
Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) :
http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=7830
India
has the potential to attract one million health tourists
every year and this will contribute up to $5 billion to
the economy, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
said Sunday.
India
must leverage its competitive edge, especially its cost
advantage, to attract a large number of medical tourists
to the country, the CII study report said.
A
heart surgery in the US costs $30,000 while the same would
incur $6,000 in India. Similarly, bone marrow transplant
in the US costs $250,000 while it is $26,000 in India,
said the CII report.
"With
yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, and other systems
of medicine, India offers a unique basket of services
to an individual that is difficult to match by other countries,"
it said.
"Also,
clinical outcomes in India are at par with the world's
best centres, besides having internationally qualified
and experienced specialists."
The
lobby group said it was working with the Indian Healthcare
Federation (IHCF) and tour operators to promote attractive
packages for medical tourism in the country.
India
attracted approximately 150,000 patients to the country
in the last year.
Thailand
with a population of 60 million has been successful in
attracting one million health tourists last year because
of the development of world-class infrastructure.
According
to the CII, the reason behind Thailand managing to tap
the health tourism market successfully was aggressive
international marketing in conjunction with the tourism
authority.
"It
has also integrated with traditional medicine and service
integration with tourism," it said, adding India
should also replicate the Thai model and capitailise on
its strengths to become a world player in medical tourism.
CII
said the government should encourage medical tourism by
increasing air connectivity linking major cities like
News Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata
and create health support infrastructure.
It
is also essential to establish the Indian healthcare brand
as synonymous with safety, trust and excellence.
"There
is a need to undertake an international marketing campaign
targeted at select countries, besides establishing one-stop
centres in key markets to facilitate the inflow of foreign
patients," said the report.
"There
is also a need to streamline immigration process for medical
visitors.
"If
India develops its infrastructure to international levels,
it will be able to benefit medical services sector and
moreover help the world access the Indian medical services."
Transport
Canada warning.
Warning
from Transport Canada. Imagine if you walk across the
parking lot, unlock your car and get inside. Then you
lock all your doors, start the engine, shift into REVERSE,
and you look into the rear-view mirror to back out of
your parking space. You notice a piece of paper stuck
to the middle of the rear window. So, you shift into PARK,
unlock your doors and jump out of your car to remove that
paper or whatever it is that is obstructing your view.
When
you reach the back of your car,
that is when the car-jackers appear out of nowhere, jump
into your car and take off !! Your engine is running,
you have your purse in the car and they practically mow
you down as they speed off in your car.
BE AWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME BEING USED
TO STEAL YOUR CAR! Just drive away and remove the paper
that is stuck to your window LATER, and be thankful that
you read this email. I hope you will forward this to friends
and family especially to women! A purse contains all identification,
and you certainly do NOT want someone getting your home
address. They already HAVE your keys!!!!!
Winson Ng Vehicle Standards and Regulations
Transport Canada (613) 998-1949 Fax (613) 990-2913 ngwk@tc.gc.ca
