After 2 years of pandemic, medical tourism in India on a rise: Report

After a two-year hiatus, medical tourism in New Delhi is flourishing again with patients coming in from Bangladesh, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Kenya, according to a report by Times of India (TOI). Most of the patients coming to India are availing of cardiac surgery, liver transplants, and kidney and bone marrow transplants. 

The 'flattening' of the third wave of Covid-19, easing restrictions and removing government quota on private hospitals can be attributed to the rise in medical tourism. They remained frozen for over two years. 

"Hospitals have begun receiving international cases, especially with life-threatening illnesses like cancer, orthopaedic surgery and organ transplants. We expect a further rise in the number (of medical tourists)," Dr Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, of Apollo Hospitals told TOI. 

The report also quoted Abdul Karim from the Gambia who came to India for the hernia operation of his wife Adana in August as saying that the treatment in India has brought "smiles back" to their faces. He said that all the arrangements for the operation were made by the Gambian health ministry. 

Medical tourism in India had fallen to nearly 33 per cent during 2020-21. It rose to 50 per cent in 2021-22. In the first half of 2022-23, it has crossed the pre-pandemic levels. 

According to Fortis Hospitals, foreign patients in 2019-2020 in the hospital were 45,000. These fell to 14,000 in 2020. Till September, the number of patients rose to 17,000. 

However, the pattern of medical tourism has shifted post-pandemic. Earlier Delhi used to see the maximum number of tourists from Afghanistan. Since the takeover by the Taliban, the number of patients has decreased. 

Due to visa issues, the number of patients from Turkmenistan has also reduced. While on the other hand, patients from Fiji and the Pacific islands are limited due to the restricted number of flights.