India witnessing inflow of medical tourists from UAE, Gulf region

New Delhi: India has been witnessing an increasing influx of medical tourists from across the world, including the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region, mostly for treatments in orthopaedics, cardiac, and some cosmetic treatments, an Indian doctor told Khaleej Times.

Chennai-based medical practitioner, Subash Udipi Rau, was quoted as saying that a lot of patients from across the Middle East have been travelling to India.

The doctor said Chennai attracts about 45 per cent of health tourists from abroad and 40 per cent of domestic health tourists because of its doctors and healthcare facilities.

With 25 years of experience in the United Kingdom and in India, Rau has also practised at the Venkataeswara Hospitals in Nandanam here and is currently a consulting physician at Apollo Spectra Hospitals here.

He said that over the last 10 to 15 years, India has become a flourishing hub for medical tourism and the growth has been attributed to 'word of mouth', expertise and competitive price points.

"A large population of Indian doctors have been trained abroad and have returned to India for work. The cost of treatments in India is only one-tenth of those in the UK and the US. They are also cheaper than those in Singapore," Rau said.

Natural treatments, such as Ayurveda and other ancient Indian healing practices, are also extremely popular among foreign clients.

Rau is also an advisor with Dakshin Medical Tourism in Chennai, a company that works as a one-stop shop for medical treatment and prescription drugs in the city and throughout India.

"Dakshin Medical Tourism (DMT) connects our patients with the best doctors at the best hospitals for the best treatment," said Rau.

The DMT helps patients get the best results, based on the ailments they are suffering from. "We have a growing network of specialists who provide patients with the best treatments and results, keeping in mind the patients' budget as well."

"What we do is called 'concierge medicine', and what is unique is that our model is based on the niche information that only an insider has. That is, the reputation of doctors among peers, infection risks of hospitals, etc, rather than being purely based on commercial interests," he added.

The DMT provides specialists for orthopaedics and spine surgery, urology and andrology, cardiac surgery, ENT surgery, transplantation surgery, oncology and oncosurgery, and ophthalmology, among other services.

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