India successful growing Medical tourism, Africa can adopt the concept?

Medical tourism is a growing sector in India . In October 2015, India's medical tourism sector was estimated to be worth US$3 billion. It is projected to grow to $7-8 billion by 2020. According to the Confederation Of Indian Industries (CII), the primary reason that attracts medical value travel to India is cost-effectiveness, and treatment from accredited facilities at par with developed countries at much lower cost. The Medical Tourism Market Report: 2015 found that India was "one of the lowest cost and highest quality of all medical tourism destinations, it offers wide variety of procedures at about one-tenth the cost of similar procedures in the United States."

Foreign patients travelling to India to seek medical treatment in 2012, 2013 and 2014 numbered 171,021, 236,898, and 184,298 respectively. Traditionally, the United States and the United Kingdom have been the largest source countries for medical tourism to India. However, according to a CII-Grant Thornton report released in October 2015, Bangladeshis and Afghans accounted for 34% of foreign patients, the maximum share, primarily due to their close proximity with India and poor healthcare infrastructure. Russia and the Commonwealth Of Independent States (CIS) accounted for 30% share of foreign medical tourist arrivals. Other major sources of patients include Africa and the Middle East, particularly the Persian Gulf countries. In 2015, India became the top destination for Russians seeking medical treatment. Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and the National Capital Region received the highest number of foreign patients primarily from South Eastern countries.

As escalating costs forces more and more people from advanced nations to seek opportunities for combining high quality yet cost-effective medical treatment with leisure travel beyond respective national boundaries, more than 50 countries have identified medical tourism as a national industry. With an estimated global market of around $40-55 billion (Dh147-202 billion), India too has emerged as a front-runner in the international MVT arena - with more than 500,000 foreign patients availing treatment annually - owing to the country's relatively low cost but high-quality treatment facilities, in addition to the scope of using alternative system of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy for adjunct therapy in critical lifestyle diseases successfully. The introduction of the relatively new "M" visa in India makes getting visas for medical purposes much easier than ever. Visas are given out in a rather short period of time, and the waiting period for most life-altering or life-saving procedures are almost non-existent. Priority is given to the patients with the most life-threatening conditions. These are patients that need help on priority in order to avoid more medical complications, permanent disabilities, or sometimes even death.

Indian doctors and healthcare professionals are renowned world over for their skills with many of them holding high positions in leading hospitals in US, UK and other countries around the world. There is a significant number of highly skilled doctors in India, including many who have relocated to India after having worked in the top hospitals across the world.

If Africa channel all her resources in holistic manner. Africa can be zone for all types of tourism which includes medical tourism.

Enos Denhere is an Entrepreneur, Leadership Success Coach, Mentor, Pastor, Strategist. He is looking for Multinational Companies, Investors and Nation building organizations to work with in Zimbabwe, SADC region and Entire Africa. He is looking for Humanitarian, Pan African and Investments forums to join. Email enosdenhere@gmail.com / rebuild1@gmail.com Call /App +263773894975 like our rebuildafrica facebook page https://www.facebook.com/letstalkafricaforgood/