Diplomatist Magazine Oman 2018 - Special Report | Page 26

various cities in India. One of the greatest
attributes of the Indian healthcare system is
that there is no waiting time. Omani citizens
who visit India for treatment are provide
with easy access to procuring local mobile
SIM cards, a prayer room and halal food
in all hospitals. Further, the stay of the kin
accompanying the patient is also catered for,
their needs met and hospitality services offered
to enhance their experience and stay in India.
India’s fl ourishing medical tourism sector
attracts a large number of medical tourists
from Oman. Omanis favour India for a
variety of reasons, including affordability, an
acceptable social milieu, the presence of state-
of-the-art facilities, fewer language barriers,
air transport connectivity and geographical
proximity. Many international healthcare
facilitation companies have emerged to
facilitate services and help patients access
the Indian healthcare system. These agencies
attempt to lessen the operational hassles of
patients and provide them with a sense of
mental comfort. These agencies facilitate
visa arrangements, ticketing, commuting and
accommodation, translation/escort services,
communication facilities, teleconferencing
with doctors in India, special medical
assistance, and the provision of preferred
cuisines for patients.
The Oman Ministry of Health recently
highlighted the improvement in health
conditions in Oman and the resultant increase
in the country’s average life expectancy to
around 76 to 77 years. Oman ranks in the top
three or four countries across the world with
regard to its primary health care system, and it
has now shifted focus to providing advanced
medical facilities. The Omani government
has also been forthcoming to welcome Indian
healthcare investors to Oman. The Additional
Secretary of the Ministry lauded the role of
Indian healthcare professionals in developing
medical infrastructure in Oman, and invited
the Indian community to invest in the
International Medical City to be established
in Salalah. There is also tremendous potential
to set up bilateral health education ventures
in Oman. India has the potential to be the
favoured nation to drive this, as it has a
large pool of medical educationists and
organisations with experience in setting up
medical education institutions.
26 • INDIA-OMAN • 2018
In his address at a special event held
at the Indian Embassy in Muscat, the
Indian Ambassador to Oman remarked
that the Indian community and hospital
establishments from India could go a long
way in helping Oman emerge as a leading
medical hub. The Ambassador also added
that India is a hub for producing medicines at
affordable rates and is a signifi cant exporter
of drugs. India is one of the world’s largest
centres for the production of generic drugs,
such as those for controlling hypertension,
diabetes and heart disease. India can, thus,
also be a signifi cant partner to Oman in the
area of pharmaceuticals.
The Indian government has taken steps
to ease travel processes to promote medical
tourism. The introduction of the e-Tourist
Visa has facilitated increased travel to
India. An e-visa is now also available
under the e-Medical Visa category. The
process for issuing medical visas is now
far more effi cient and quick. Further, six
visa facilitation centres are being set up in
Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata,
Delhi, and Goa airports to cater to medical
tourists. The government is also focusing on
promoting homestay for medical tourists to
bring down their cost of the stay in India.
Two medical attendants are allowed to travel
with the patient, who can be family members,
relatives or associates.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
visit to the Sultanate of Oman earlier this
year, the joint statement issued at the end
of visit stated that, “both sides agreed to
pursue opportunities in the health care
industry, including in pharmaceuticals
and biotechnology sectors and resolved to
encourage their private sectors to explore
participation in these areas.”
The emerging and growing cooperation
in the healthcare sector between the two
countries has the sky as its limit. Medical
tourism, in particular, is set to reach new
heights, forging stronger relations between
India and Oman as friends and partners in
this area.
* The author is MD, DNB, MNAMS,
F I A C TA , D i re c t o r, D e p a r t m e n t o f
Anaesthesia, Max Smart Super Specialty
Hospital.