Diplomatist Magazine Oman 2018 - Special Report

I ndia and Oman have a long-standing relationship in the field of medicine. Indian medical professionals, known for their professional competence and acumen, have been the backbone of medical facilities in Oman. Doctors from the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services are regularly deputed to Oman to provide medical cover to the Omani Army. Indian general duty doctors, dentists and nurses man remote primary hospitals and dispensaries in Oman. Furthermore, Indian doctors have also majorly contributed to the development of super-speciality centres in the prime hospitals of Oman. All major hospitals in Oman have Indian specialists on their rolls. Healthcare costs are rising in most de- veloped countries. A white paper published by CII - Grant Thornton states that nearly 80 per cent of medical tourists across the globe choose their destination based on cost. As a result, low cost of healthcare and the avail- ability of accredited facilities and excellent clinical resources have led to the emergence of India as a favoured medical tourist desti- nation. India is known for its cost-effective medical treatments and high professional standards. A FICCI and QuintilesIMS knowl- edge paper states that over 500,000 foreign patients seek treatment in India each year. Healthcare is one of India’s most signiﬁ cant economic sectors with regard to revenue and employment. The Indian hospital sector revenue was $61.79 billion in 2017, and is expected to increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16-17 per cent to reach $132.84 billion by 2023. The global medical tourism market is estimated to be worth around $40-60 billion, and India contributes about 18 per cent of this market. India is experiencing a 22-25 per cent growth in medical tourism. Its medical tourism industry is expected to double in size from $3 billion in 2017 to $6 billion by 2018 and, further, reach $9 billion by 2020. India’s Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons recently informed the Lok Sabha that India has emerged as a major medical tourism destination in the last few years. According to a 2016 Ministry of Commerce report, India is among the top six therapeutic value travel destinations in the world. The country’s tourism ministry has recognised medical and wellness promotion as a niche tourism product for development and is, thus, organising wellness and medical tourism promotion shows. Technology and innovation have taken medical treatment to the next level. India is a preferred destination for medical travel because it offers high-quality treatment by highly qualiﬁ ed professionals. Hundreds of thousands of patients from across the globe are gaining immeasurably from India’s world-class medical care. Indian hospitals are endowed with excellent hygiene, quality doctors, world-class equipment and the best diagnostic facilities. Modern hospitals in India are equipped with breakthrough state-of-the-art technology and sophisticated procedures in all ﬁ elds of medicine. In spite of the above, medical treatment in India costs one-third of that in the developed world, and is the lowest in A sia. The inex- pensive but efﬁ cient Indian medical system has managed to wean away Omani patients from seeking treatment in Western hospitals, which used to be their preferred destination earlier. The medical tourism industry in India receives maximum patients for the following procedures - heart surgery, knee transplant, cancer surgery, cosmetic surgery and dental care. In recent times, India has become a preferred destination for bariatric surgery and liver/heart transplant surgery. India is also a major destination for those seeking fertility treatment and parents seeking test- tube babies. Some of the leading hospitals in India have around 70 to 80 patients from Middle Eastern countries at any point in time, which demonstrates the popularity of India as a medical tourism destination for patients from the Gulf. With regard to quality and affordability, the Indian healthcare system is thus one of the best in the world. Patients visiting India can choose from a bouquet of hospitals in the country, which include healthcare groups, 34 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) certified hospitals, and multi-speciality hospitals spread across 2018 • INDIA-OMAN • 25

Diplomatist Magazine Oman 2018 - Special Report | Page 25