National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism

For Prelims: Medical Visa, Medical and Wellness Tourism

For Mains: Government Policies & Interventions, National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism, India as a Medical and Wellness Tourism destination,

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism.

  • The policy envisages promoting India as a Medical Value Travel (MVT) and Wellness destination.

What is Medical and Wellness Tourism?

  • Medical & Wellness tourism may be defined as ‘activities related to travel and hosting a foreign tourist who stays at least one night at the destination region for the purpose of maintaining, improving or restoring health through medical intervention’ .

What are the Key Points of the Roadmap?

  • Mission: To create a robust framework and synergy amongst the Ministries of Central Government and State Governments and Private Sector for promoting India as a Medical Value Travel (MVT) and Wellness destination.
  • New Agency: For this, a new National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board will be created as Minister of Tourism as its Chairman.
    • It will provide a dedicated institutional framework to take forward the cause of promotion of Wellness & Medical Tourism.
  • Key Strategic Pillars: The Strategy has identified the following key pillars:
    • Develop a brand for India as a wellness destination.
    • Strengthen the ecosystem for medical and wellness tourism.
    • Enable digitalization by setting up Online MVT Portal.
    • Enhancement of accessibility for MVT.
    • Promoting Wellness Tourism.
    • Governance and Institutional Framework.

What does SWOT Analysis of Medical Tourism in India Reveal?
Strengths:
  • India has world-class doctors and hospitals
  • The cost of the treatment is a fraction of the cost in the source markets
  • The increasing popularity of India as a tourist destination in the west.
    • India offers a range of tourism opportunities to Medical Value Traveller to combine the treatment with visit to tourist destinations.
  • Eastern Healthcare Wisdom along with the expertise of Western Medicine
  • Fast track appointments.

Weaknesses:
  • Unorganised MVT Framework: There are no regulations to govern MVT sector, which leaves the sector unorganised and lack of monitoring the quality of services.
  • Lack of a nodal body to spearhead Medical Value Travel.
  • No campaign for India as a MVT destination.
  • Lack of awareness about National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) accreditation at the international level.
  • Lack of uniform pricing policies across the Hospitals.
  • Western perception of India as an unhygienic country.

Opportunity:
  • Demand from Countries with an Ageing population.
  • Demand for Wellness and Alternative cures.
  • Long waiting periods in developed countries.
  • Demand from countries with undeveloped medical facilities.
  • India has a huge diaspora and they can combine their visit to India with medical treatment.
  • Improved Connectivity.

Threat:
  • Regional Competition.
  • Lack of international accreditation.
  • Overseas medical care not covered by the insurer.
  • Exploitation by middlemen.

What are the Steps taken for the Promotion of Medical and Wellness Tourism?

  • The Ministry of Tourism, releases global print, electronic and online media campaigns in important and potential markets overseas, under the ‘Incredible India’ brand line.
  • '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.

What are Other Major Schemes of the Ministry of Tourism?

Way Forward

  • ‘One India One Tourism’ Approach: Tourism encompasses multiple ministries and takes place in and within many states and thus requires collective efforts and cooperation with centre and other states.
  • Promoting Ease of Tourism: To truly ensure a seamless tourist transportation experience we need to standardise all interstate road taxes and make them payable at a single point which will facilitate the ease of doing business.

Source: PIB