The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Bangalore, a destination for better health

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 02, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Bangalore, a destination for better health

By Divya Ramamurthi

George Marshall, 73-year-old violin repairer from the U.K., who underwent heart surgery in a hospital in Bangalore. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE, FEB. 1. The healthcare sector seems to be going the information technology way. More foreigners are outsourcing their medical needs and are coming to India impressed by services available in the country.

Last year, Wockhardt Hospital and Heart Foundation treated over 70 patients from other countries, including three from the U.K. More people from developed nations are making the trip across several thousand kilometres to avoid long delays and avail themselves of the lower charges for treatment by skilled doctors. The National Health Services, U.K., only refers patients to hospitals reachable in three hours.

Lower charges

All this brought 73-year-old George Marshall, a violin repairer, from Bradford, U.K., to Bangalore for a heart surgery. He found that he can get the operation done in India at 25 per cent of the cost in the U.K., even after taking into account the airfare. Money is still a major consideration for me. I have to work for mine," he says from his hospital room.

Mr. Marshall has never been to India before. He has actually never travelled out of Europe. So he based his decision to come here on the experiences of a few of his friends and a chat with Wockhardt's vice-president Vishal Bali. "I have had no regrets. The staff have been wonderful," he says.

Doctors at Manipal Hospital applied the scalpel to several Iraqi children who had severe cardiac problems. Sometime ago, a group from Africa came here for treatment. "The pool of skilled doctors here is amazing. They give you confidence," says Suad Sadiq, parent of four-year-old Murtada Sadiq, from Iraq.

Medical tourism

A study by the Confederation of Indian Industry and McKinsey Consultants estimates that India's medical tourism has the potential to grow to Rs. 10,000 crores by 2012.

The report also says that medical tourism is expected to increase by 15 per cent every year.

Mr. Bali says that clinical expertise and the growth of tertiary care hospitals in the country have led to increased visibility abroad. But the country's unique selling point is the low rates.

"We offer quality service at a low price," he adds.

A common fear

But a common fear among foreigners — of facing poverty and its fallout in India — is preventing many more from crossing the seas. Mr. Marshall, a former traffic constable, says his first impression of India was a culture shock. "When I got into the car at the airport and got onto the road, I was amazed at the disorderliness."

The arrival of more patients from the U.K and the U.S. will depend on India developing quality standards of accreditation.

Mr. Marshall says he will come back to India once he gets better. "After all, I have a bit of Indian blood in me now," he says.

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