Letters: India first

This refers to the editorial "The IAS flies abroad" (September 18). This is a surprising concession by the government given the fact that India is facing a foreign exchange crunch and the much-vaunted claim to develop India as a medical tourism hub. Our medical institutions have state-of-the-art facilities available within the country. Many nations are looking to India for treating their patients due to the high costs of treatment in their own country. Major insurance companies of the UK, Europe, the US favour India due to quality care, English language skills and lower costs. The UK has recently taken a stand that some patients maybe referred to India due to lower costs. Hospitalisation charges have soared elsewhere and according to recent figures the average daily cost of a hospital stay in the US is $4,287. According to the report "Medical tourism set to be in the pink of health" (August 22), India, with a current market share of nearly three per cent, is perceived to be among the fastest-growing markets

Some of our presidents and prime ministers had their treatment in India and did not go abroad even though they could have done so. Around 850,000 tourist's visited India in 2011 for medical treatment. The government is sending a wrong signal on the expertise and competence of our doctors and this shows a lack of faith in the ability of the Indian medical fraternity. Apparently it has succumbed to the powerful bureaucracy. And lastly, why should our defence personnel be denied this dispensation?

H N Ramakrishna Bangalore

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