Mumbai, India :
Chief minister PrithvirajChavan on Thursday set up a high-level committee headed by additional chief secretary (medical education) AnandKulkarni to promote medical tourism.
Asian Heart Institute director Ramakant Panda, Ruby Hall Clinic (Pune) trustee P K Grant, JJ hospital dean T P Lahane and medical education director Praveen Shingare are among the committee’s members.
“Medical tourism is a growing sector in India and is expected to register an annual growth rate of 30%. Maharashtra, too, needs to develop a comprehensive strategy to boost medical tourism. We expect the panel to look into all aspects of medical tourism and draft a concept paper and strategy to promote Maharashtra as the ultimate destination for medical tourism,” the additional chief secretary said.
According to the chief executive officer of a leading private hospital, quite a large number of people, not only from India, but even abroad, visit Maharashtra for treatment of various diseases. “In the last decade, Maharasthra has witnessed an investment of well over Rs 15,000 crore in the health sector. We have a large number of fully developed hospitals and super specialists in all fields. We must take advantage of the situation and promote medical tourism,” he said.
The CEO pointed out that the cost of services provided by these hospitals is much lower as compared to any hospital in the US, UK, Australia of any other country of European or Asian continent. “Quite a large number of foreigners visit India for treatment, mainly due to the cost factor,” he said.
He said, on one hand, the cost of treatment in most developed countries is very high, while on the other hand, the waiting list for procedures is too lengthy.
“In my opinion, a series of technological developments and reasonable access to medical facilities will play a crucial role in widening the scope for medical tourism. Certainly, India and particularly Maharashtra has emerged as the destination for medical treatment,” the CEO said.
Further, the CEO said, Maharasthra is not only the commercial and financial state, but is easily accessible from across the country.
