National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism

• 23 Mar 2023

For Prelims: National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism, Medical Tourism Index (MTI), Medical Visa, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH).
For Mains: Medical and Wellness Tourism, Steps Taken for the Promotion of Medical and Wellness Tourism.

Why in News?

India has been ranked 10^th in the Medical Tourism Index (MTI) for 2020-2021 out of 46 destinations of the world by the Medical Tourism Association.

• With an aim to improve medical tourism in the country, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism in 2022.

What are the Key Pillars of the Strategy?

• The National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism has identified the following key pillars for the development of medical-value travel in the country.
• Key Pillars:
  • Developing a brand for India as a wellness destination.
  • Strengthening the ecosystem for medical and wellness tourism
  • Enabling digitalization by setting up Online Medical Value Travel (MVT) Portal
  • Enhancing accessibility for Medical Value Travel
  • Promoting Wellness Tourism
  • Governance and Institutional Framework
• Foreign Tourists Arrival on medical purpose increases from 1.83 lakh in 2020 to 3.04 lakh in 2021.

What is Medical and Wellness Tourism?

• About:
  • Medical and wellness tourism refer to the practice of travelling to another location to receive medical treatment or to improve one's health and wellbeing.
  • These types of tourism are growing in popularity as people become more interested in alternative healthcare options and seek out high-quality medical care at a lower cost.
• Issues related to Medical and Wellness Tourism in India:
  • Language and Cultural Barriers: Many medical tourists may face language and cultural barriers, making it difficult to communicate effectively with healthcare providers.
    • This can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications that could impact the quality of care received.
  • Ethical Concerns: There have been concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable populations in medical tourism, particularly in the case of organ transplantation.
• Steps Taken for the Promotion of Medical and Wellness Tourism:
  • 'Medical Visa’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purposes to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment.
    • ‘E- Medical Visa’ and ‘E-Medical Attendant Visa’ have also been introduced for 156 countries.
  • The Ministry of Tourism provides financial Assistance under Market Development Assistance Scheme to Medical Tourism Service Providers accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) for participation in Medical/ Tourism activities.

Source: PIB