Every year, millions of medical tourists visit Indian hospitals for quality treatment. Though bottlenecks are aplenty, doctors and other stakeholders in the city have helped streamline the process. They decode medical tourism for CE
HYDERABAD: Let’s say you have a case of the seasonal sniffles. What do you do? You have some Irani chai, apply some relief-giving ointment over your nose and chest, and call it a day. If those sniffles turn into a fever that just won’t relent, you head to a doctor who takes care of the rest.
Whether it is a relatively minor issue like this or a major heart surgery, India has the healthcare professionals, equipment, and facilities for it. And we in the city are spoiled for choice, not realising that the going is tough for those beyond borders, who come here as medical tourists for treatment and recovery.
“The conditions are abysmal in several African countries. There are hospitals but no doctors, poor hygienic conditions, and sub-optimal healthcare facilities,” said Dr Venugopal Pareek, a senior consultant bariatric and gastrointestinal surgeon at CARE Hospitals in Banjara Hills.
He added that every month, around 1,200 to 1,500 medical tourists come to Hyderabad. “They mainly come from Africa, the Middle East, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.”
The doctor, who does around four medical tourist consultations every day and performs 15 to 20 surgeries each month, explained, “People from countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia usually come here for treatments and surgeries related to weight loss, hernias, and gastrointestinal and gallbladder issues.
But patients from African nations come here to get treated for thyroid issues, piles, hemorrhoids, heart problems, orthopedic problems, and cancers.”
But what about the numerous bottlenecks they encounter? Language barriers, transport, food, accommodation, and most importantly, finding the right doctor. MediJourn, one of Asia’s leading medical value travel companies, has been offering a seamless and tech-enabled experience for patients seeking cost-effective treatment in India and other nations.
Founder Ishaan Dodhiwala decoded the process, explaining, “MediJourn has 650 partners and 27 offices across the world that essentially provide medical tourist leads. Doctors are important partners, directing patients to us so they can get better medical treatment in another country. We connect these patients to the appropriate hospital and doctor and actively guide them through the visa process as well.”
Born and brought up in Hyderabad, Ishaan expressed that the city is an exemplar of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, treating guests with utmost love and care. In India, MediJourn has tied up with Apollo Hospitals.
“Among the Indian cities, Hyderabad has an additional feature — its GMR Airport has an Apollo Hospital, where our medical tourists are first screened and checked before being moved to a hospital in the city,” added Ishaan.
Some 78,000 medical tourists have benefited from this service. Salah from Somalia had terrible knee pain and couldn’t walk. “In Somalia, we don’t have the appropriate equipment and facilities to treat medical conditions, so I decided to come to India.
MediJourn picked me up from the airport, checked me into a hotel, and ferried me to and from the hospital. I was taken to a senior consultant orthopedic surgeon in Apollo Hospital, who was very kind. He performed a knee surgery and I am walking without any support now,” he said.
Like Salah, there are many medical tourists who come to Hyderabad every day with the hope to become hale and hearty. Dr Venugopal expressed, “My heart aches for their plight — they come all the way here and seek treatment. Hearing them happily share with their families and friends about how I successfully treated them gives me immense satisfaction as a doctor. I am always happy to help.”
