With India pitching itself as a medical tourism destination at the meeting recently,Keralais aiming to ensure that it is not left behind. The budget presented on Friday focuses on activities that transform the state into a Health hub by providing better healthcare and health tourism Services by expanding and modernizing existing facilities. An amount of Rs 30 crore has been earmarked in the budget towards this.
India is a key medical tourism destination in Asia with over 5 lakh foreign patients arriving annually. Kerala traditionally receives patients from Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Private hospitals are now eying patients from newer countries.
With the State Government also putting its weight behind medical tourism, it will give a fillip to the sector that is currently seeing an annual Growth of almost 25% to 30%, compared to 15% five years ago. Almost 25% to 30% of the revenue of major hospitals in Kochi is from medical tourism.