| Leading Indian Hospitals, Healthcare providers | | | | preparing India for facing the challenges of global |
| (both Modern Medicine and Traditional Indian | | | | competition and actualise the tremendous |
| Medicine), Travel and Medical Tourism Industry | | | | opportunity for India to become a leading global |
| providers have come together to form an | | | | healthcare destination. Modern medicine as well as |
| industry association - Indian Medical Travel | | | | India's 5000 year old traditional therapies like |
| Association (IMTA) that aims to work together to | | | | Ayurveda, Siddha and Yoga can offer to the |
| make India the leading global healthcare | | | | world an unbeatable healing package. |
| destination. | | | | "IMTA would strive to help its members reach |
| The phenomenon now popularly known as Medical | | | | out in a cost effective manner to millions of our |
| Tourism is often cited as the next big opportunity | | | | potential global consumers who reside on the |
| for India after the IT outsourcing to earn billions | | | | other side of the globe in a different time and |
| of dollars in forex earnings and create jobs in the | | | | cultural zone and make them aware of the |
| healthcare sector. So far only a select group of | | | | tremendous value that Indian healthcare offers. |
| Indian hospitals have been making valiant | | | | The fact is that prior to choosing a hospital, the |
| attempts to market their services in international | | | | international patients first decide on the country or |
| arena. More than a million overseas patients | | | | the destination. Therefore we all must join hands |
| already treated at top Indian corporate hospitals | | | | to aggressively promote INDIA as a preferred |
| like Apollo, Fortis, Wockhardt, Max, Manipal and | | | | global healthcare destination," Says Pradeep |
| many others have already proved to the world | | | | Thukral, Executive Director, Indian Medical Travel |
| that the clinical quality, technology and cost | | | | Association (IMTA) |
| proposition offered by India is unmatched. The | | | | The Government of India and its various arms |
| capacity in super specialty segment Indian | | | | are actively supporting the growth of medical |
| hospitals is expanding fast and there is no waiting | | | | tourism to India. In a message to IMTA, the Union |
| period for local or overseas patients. | | | | Tourism Minister, Kumar Shailaja conveyed |
| CII Mc'Kinsey study first reported on medical | | | | “This is indeed a commendable initiative and |
| tourism as the billion dollar opportunity for India | | | | we all know the tremendous opportunity that |
| way back in 2002 and the steady growth in | | | | Medical Tourism presents for India. On behalf of |
| overseas patient arrivals has validated the | | | | the Ministry of Tourism, I would like to provide all |
| potential. With a large number of new private | | | | possible support this industry initiative and would |
| super specialty hospitals and even integrated | | | | like to wish IMTA and its members great success |
| health cities coming up in India's top ten cities, | | | | in their efforts. |
| India has the potential to become the global leader | | | | Two years ago the Government of India |
| in the Medical Travel/ Outsourcing industry. Indian | | | | introduced a special category of Visa called M Visa |
| doctors and professionals are world renowned for | | | | for foreigners desirous of coming to India for |
| their skills and the country has abundance of all | | | | medical treatment. India's Ministry of Tourism has |
| the inputs like talented young manpower, local high | | | | achieved phenomenal success in last five years |
| quality manufacturing base for pharmaceuticals, | | | | with its much acclaimed "Incredible India "campaign |
| technology hardware and software that makes | | | | that has multiplied the arrival of foreign tourists to |
| the Indian costs for high end surgical procedures | | | | India. The current year 2009 is being promoted |
| so attractive. The challenge really is on the non | | | | by Indian Ministry of Tourism as "Visit India'" year |
| medical side, primarily on the marketing front and | | | | and the ministry is keen to promote Medical |
| also to create infrastructure and services to | | | | Tourism. It has recently notified the Market |
| support the growth of medical tourism. | | | | Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme to eligible |
| Indian Medical Travel Association (IMTA) - a non | | | | Medical Tourism players which enables them to |
| profit body and a unified voice of the Indian | | | | get financial support for participation in overseas |
| healthcare (modern medicine as well as traditional | | | | promotional events. |
| Indian medicine) and travel industry is aimed at | | | | |