India emerging preferred destination for medical tourism

Chennai, Nov 24 (UNI) Asserting that India is fast becoming the preferred destination for Medical Tourism, Consul General of Japan in Chennai Kazuo Minagawa today said the Indian Medical tourism market is expected to touch 1,00,000 billion dollars by 2012.

Inaugurating an International conference on 'Organ Transplant and Stem Cell Research and launching the Super Speciality division at the Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital here, he said India was now the world leader in medical tourism and Chennai, especially, was fast becoming the health capital of the country.

He said more than 1,50,000 medical tourists were visiting India from countries like United States, United Kingdom, West Asia and European countries, making Indian medical tourist market the biggest in Asia.

''As per the estimates in the next four years, by 2012, the Indian medical tourism will grow to the range of 1,00,000 billion dollars. India is the leader in this sector, though other countries like Brunei, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Africa and of late Korea are fast catching up,'' he added.

Stating that the presence of Japan in India, in terms of companies, increased to 145 companies from 65 companies a few years back, Mr Kazuo said in future, more and more people would come to India for medical treatment as the waiting time has been increasing in Japan.

Presiding over the function, Bharath University Chancellor, Dr S Jagathrakshagan said Rs five crore has been invested in new super speciality division which is equipped with a dedicated cath lab, a MRI Scan anda dialysis centre -- all imported from Japan.

The super speciality would cater to the needs of the poor people living in and around Chromepet area, where the hospital is located, and avoid travelling 25 kms all the way to the Government General Hospital.

Eminent experts like cardiologist Dr K M Cherian, Dr S Vinayagam, renowned cardiologist from Malaysia Dr M Tamilselvan, and cardio thoracic surgeon Dr C Sivathsan from Singapore and nephrology specialist Dr M S Amaresan were among those who participated in the function.

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