THE HEALTH CARE CAPITAL OF INDIA

Chennai is increasingly becoming a hub of medical tourism with people from across the globe preferring to get treated in city hospitals. Excellent expertise, technology, infrastructure and cost effective treatment is what attracts majority of the medical tourists.

Multi- and super-specialty hospitals have been established across the city, bringing in an estimated 150 international patients every day. MIOT, Apollo and Madras Medical Mission receive patients from across the globe — Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Singapore included. Other popular hospitals among medical tourists to Chennai include the modern Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, which offers an international patient service; the Sankara Nethralaya eye hospital; and both the Madras Medical Mission and the KM Cherian Heart Foundation for all kinds of cardiac surgeries. For dental tourism in Chennai, All Smiles and the Dentistree International Dental Hospital are two providers of cosmetic dental care.

Several private hospitals have tied up with governments of other countries. Representatives of Madras Medical Mission say that every month, 14 persons from abroad, mainly from East African nations, come to the hospital as medical tourists. The hospital is preferred by international patients for kidney transplants and cardiac surgeries.Chennai’s medical industry offers a complete service for patients. “There are hospitals in Chennai that provides services ranging from airport pickups to private chefs” says Dr Madhu Purshottam, Pediatrician at Apollo.

Though Chennai is doing remarkably well in Medical industry, few doctors feel that Thailand is now emerging as the new hub for medical tourists. They have better technology and expertise and India should really focus on improving its technology and expertise otherwise there are chances of India losing on its medical tourists to Thailand.