Medical tourism is for many years high topic in India. Indian governments of Tourism and Health are investing better structures for years. But evaluation makes that the actual flow of patients in relation to expectation that is is still not huge. Despite the tremendous infrastructure, good private hospitals and very good and high level medical education (one of the best of the world).
Chosing for medical tourism is in most cases a choice to have surgery for affordable price, good and for most european countries even much better service, combined with luxury resort holiday or travel.
Medical tourism is in most cases used for cosmetic or plastic surgery and dental surgery and for the last years bariatric surgery is become an important type of surgery for this type of tourism. Bariatric surgery or with other words obesity surgery like gastric banding, Roux en Y gastric bypass and Vertical gastrectomy/Sleeve has become in Europe and USA one of the most important types of surgery. Everybody who has more details about the tremendous results from bariatric surgery knows that this type of surgery will become number one surgery worldwide in the next 10 years. Solving hypertension, diabetes, sleeping apnea, joint problems and other medical issues within 1-6 months after surgery in most cases is one of the biggest motivators.
In 2007 in Europe and USA more than 350.000 operations were carried out but with the enormous rate in obesity worldwide (In Europe obesity is calculated between 10-35% of the total population depending of which country and USA is approx. 30-35%). Bariatric surgery in India started 8 years ago and approx. 20 surgeons are focusing to bariatrics. A lot of surgeons in India are starting up but can’t be considered as experienced surgeons of course. Especially for stapling surgery like Roux en Y gastric bypass and Vertical sleeve expertise makes the difference between safe and risk full surgery.
Nevertheless India will play an important role in medical tourism for bariatrics sooner or later. But one of the major questions what medical tourists will ask themself if I’m traveling and spending money anyway who will it benefit. Only the surgeon and hospital or can it benefit more people? India has besides very high diabetes and obesity rate also still one of the highest poverty situations of the world. Would it be fantastic if medical tourism would really increase to high number of patients and it would direct benefit also to the poor. This would be one big opportunity.
With strong believe we started as Obesityasia, www.obesityasia.com with help of foundations for healthcare projects in Pune to make a small difference in one of our hospitals for bariatric surgery. One of the private hospitals in Pune, Poona hospital, established in 1986 by late Shri Dongreji Maharaj foundation, is offering free and also concessional surgery to lower socio-economic strata for many and many years. With this motivation and this agreement to the Indian society and to medical tourists we all make small difference with medical tourism.
The future will tell if others in India will follow and if they can make the same effort to medical tourists. Especially for those lower socio-economic Indians who suffer for diabetes and obesity to get bariatric surgery instead of getting blind, get legs and arms amputated or dying after heart stroke. By this way and good structure guided by the Indian governments we call together an make huge difference.
Posted by jaapsuyk 
