Fancy a facelift this holiday?

Sarah Johnston could never have imagined she would be travelling to India for a medical intervention.

The 52-year-old American software engineer needs an urgent knee-replacement surgery but was unable to afford it in her hometown in Atlanta, ever since her company rolled back healthcare benefits of most of its employees.

Low-cost option

Privately, the surgery would cost her upwards of $30,000 (Dh110,192) in the US. But in India, she could get it done for 20 per cent of the cost — $6,000 (Dh22,038) — with world-class operative and post-operative care.

Sarah is not alone. There are thousands of overseas patients making a medical pilgrimage to India.

With the economic downturn translating into pay cuts, layoffs and cancellation of medical perks, there is one business for which the bleak financial scenario has come as a boon.

Leading Indian hospitals are witnessing a surge in the demand for their services by overseas patients.

Second in rank

A recent study by the consulting firm Deloitte states that India ranks second in the world in medical tourism after Thailand.
Last year half a million foreigners went to India for treatment. The figure is expected to rise substantially in 2009.

Leading medical groups such as Wockhardt, Apollo Hospitals and others have witnessed a 30-40 per cent surge in demand, which has come mainly from foreign patients who are coming not just from neighbouring countries but from the Gulf region, as also from European nations and the US.

The Deloitte report says: “Medical care in countries such as India, Thailand and Singapore can cost as little as 10 per cent of the cost of comparable care in the US.

"The price is remarkably lower for a variety of services and often includes air fare and a stay in a resort hotel. These low-cost care alternatives almost resemble a minivacation and so interest in medical tourism is extremely strong.''

Super-speciality hospitals

Thanks mainly to super-speciality hospitals, relatively low cost of treatments and the high calibre of qualified doctors, the fortunes of top-of-the-line Indian hospitals have spiralled. India offers a variety of treatments that are among the best and the most inexpensive in the world.

There are a number of countries in Eastern Europe and South America that offer cheap medical facilities but lack the credibility and trustworthiness enjoyed by Indian doctors and hospitals.

In fact, a number of Gulf countries with government-funded healthcare that were earlier sending patients to European countries for advanced treatment are now preferring India as their destination because of low costs and top-quality services.

Quality service

In some countries, including the US, travel agencies have started a yet-unheard-of facility — to identify doctors and hospitals in India that offer quality service which is comparable to the best in the world and at far less the cost.

But above all, there's an overriding feature. And that is the cost of medical care in India, which is sometimes one tenth of that in the West.

“So with comparable or even better facilities and such low costs, there is no doubt in the minds of foreigners where to go for treatment,'' says a senior cardiac surgeon at Max Hospital, New Delhi, India.

In fact, the costs are low for the treatment of most other life-threatening ailments. Ask Mohammad Khudashanaz, an Iranian businessman, and he'll readily agree. He recently had a successful bypass from New Delhi's Escorts Hospital.

The surgery involved a stent cost of Rs300,000 (Dh23,023) as compared to about Rs2 million (Dh153,474) in the West.

Cardiac ailments

In fact, all kinds of treatments are now available in leading Indian hospitals. Heart problems are attracting a number of overseas patients, says Dr Naresh Trehan, the cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon who has treated several foreigners.

The heartening factor is that it is not just serious problems that are bringing patients to India — even cosmetic surgeons are high in demand.

In fact, the number of overseas people coming for cosmetic surgery, botox and other medical interventions to enhance their looks has increased manifold.

These surgeries have become prohibitive in Europe and the US but are relatively inexpensive in India — which explains the sudden surge in demand.

Revenue relief

Indeed, the dividends which will accrue to India are enormous if health tourism is promoted vigorously. It will not only bring the desired foreign exchange to the country but also generate jobs in the hospitality industry.

Most experts agree that for the trickle to become a stream would require a well-oiled infrastructure.

An overseas patient is usually accompanied by a relative or a friend who needs accommodation near the sick person. Very few hospitals, such as New Delhi's Apollo, have such a facility.

But seeing the potential, a number of leading private hospitals have already started thinking on those lines.

The professional's view…

Asif Hussain, manager- outbound, Al Tayer Travel Agency, gave Explore the low-down on the booming medical-tourism industry:

India is now a very popular destination for medical tourists who want inexpensive hospital care. Do you get many requests for this kind of trip? If so, where in India is it popular?

Yes, there is a significant rise in number of medical tourists to India. We are mainly dealing with the leading healthcare providers there, such as Apollo Group, which has hospitals in Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Goa and Kolkata.

We are also dealing with Baby Memorial Hospital in Calicut and Dharamshila Cancer Hospital in New Delhi.

Where else in the world is popular for medical tourists and that you organise breaks to?

Apart from India, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are popular destinations for medical tourism. We arrange travel for trips to Thailand's leading Yanhee Hospital, which offers a wide range of procedures, including facelifts, rhinoplasty, hip replacement, lap banding, liposuction, total knee replacement, tummy tucks and so on.

We also book trips to Piyavate Hospital in Bangkok, which offers cardiac check-ups, complete health checks and lap banding.

As an industry professional, what trends are you noticing in terms of unusual types of holiday requests?

There is demand for inexpensive cosmetic surgeries, cardiac check-ups or complete health check-ups, in line with the rising number of cardiac and diabetic cases from the Middle Eastern region.

Treatments in India, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are extremely popular because they are affordable. On top of that, the expertise, equipment and facilities are also world-class.

Dubai to be health hotspot

Medical tourism has become a global phenomenon, which is estimated to top $40 billion (Dh147 billion) by 2010.

And Dubai is certainly set to be one of the key players. “The healthcare sector in Dubai will become an increasingly attractive place for international healthcare investors, providers, services, facilities and healthcare professionals.

"We want to harness this potential. By learning from the experience of others … health will continue to play its part in the exciting development of this very unique city,'' said Dr Haider Al Yousuf, transition director at the Dubai Health Authority.

Dubai's medical industry will centre on developments such as the mammoth Dubai Healthcare City (DHCCC) — the world's first healthcare free zone. It consists of the Medical Community, which covers 4.1 million square feet, and includes more than 80 clinics and 1,200 professionals.

It also holds the 19 million square foot Wellness Community, which will comprise a rejuvenation centre for cosmetic services, a healing and health centre for integrated medical services, a lifestyle centre and sports medicine facility and residences designed for ecofriendly living. There will also be a healthy lifestyle retail district and hotels.

— By Emma Procter/Features Editor