This is tourism
with a twist- arguably so. A nice air-conditioned room with an en-suite, a television set,
even a fire stick to watch your favourite web series,but with nurses and
doctors in attendance.
Whether its longish stay at a state of the art hospital or
nursing home, or a day long OPD, dental treatment, or just a re look at your
skin and other parameters, Goa is looking at tourists to visit here, to get
their bodies healed as well as their spirits and souls. The world over ‘Medical
tourism’ is a growing space and Goa, has perhaps realised, albeit late, that
while its beauty may be a draw, promoting Goa a medical destination is a double
whammy.
At the ongoing Vibrant Goa summit, there were two routes
explored to boost tourism-firstly to make Goa a film making (as opposed to just
a filming hub) and secondly to give a boost to medical tourism.
Several of the hospitals in the state had their stalls in the
hall. They were visited by delegates from Oman, UAE and other Arab countries
keen on enhancing age old links between the two countries.
Avinash Lavande, Hr and Marketing department of Victor hospitals
said that the industry realised the scale of the opportunity. He said “Being at
the expo we understand the scope with people from Oman, Qatar and Kuwait are
looking for the tie-up. We are not ready for it especially for the kind of
requirements they have. Their expectations are at a larger scale. Their
expectations are for visa processing, making sure that doctors speak to them
telephonically, giving them skype calls, making representatives speak to them
and prepare an itinerary for each day for every hour basically. That is the
requirement. Goa has two multi-speciality hospitals one being Manipal and Victor
hospital, we are making an attempt. We will have a tam only to handle their
requirements. We will also need people who will understand the language,
however many of them are quite comfortable with English. We have to present
work of a very high quality to get this business”.
They wanted doctors he said who had ten to fifteen years’
experience in super speciality. They should have doctors who are skilled in
surgery but also other specialities. Their reasons for coming here they said was
the quality of service and the cost. The hospital was already catering to
clients from Europe and Russia who came on charter flights. Presently the Arabs
preferred Kochi in Kerala because it was tried and tested and the quality of
service was of a high order. “They want us to make a separate lounge for them,
separate counter, one point of contact and they want one on one service. This
will help us swing the market in our favour” he said.
For Vision Hospital based in Mapusa, the tourist trail has been
helpful with many Russian tourists visiting the hospital to use their services.
The doctors at the stall who were very helpful with answers said they had
doctors at the hospital who had completed their medical education in Russia and
had learned the language. They would promote the services of the hospital in
Russia. They could speak the language which was very helpful. The doctors said
they also received several clients from the UK who came on charter flights as
well as Americans and Australians.
The Americans, the
doctors said were a steady stream and this was on going for over six years.
Every year, the number of international patients was increasing.
Perhaps the desire is
present but the motivation levels amongst the various hospitals may vary. Or
perhaps one could fall back on the statement from sometime back of a prominent
medical practitioner who did not want to be named when asked about medical
tourism laughed and said “ First get the roads right then start dreaming big”.
But
it’s a start. And if tourism footfalls are decreasing, medical tourism is the
right treatment.
