Recovering from a lull, the medical tourism industry is facing a new hurdle – air pollution.
Overseas patients are expressing “apprehensions” over visiting India, especially hospitals based in northern India, due to the worsening air quality.
The industry – which registered negative growth during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the shutdown of flights and restrictions over international travel – had recently started recovering from the downfall.
Now, medical tourism companies are receiving queries from foreigners over the worsening air quality in northern India. The concern has been realised by the ministry of commerce and industry as well which is engaged in the promotion and branding of India as a medical tourism hub.
Suffocating business
According to Rajeev Taneja, chief executive officer of Gurugram-based medical tourism company Global Care, “The recent surge in air pollution in north India has proved to be a major roadblock in growth despite the increased demand.”
“We are slightly cutting back the business till the situation is better and the heightened pollution problem gets resolved,” Taneja told News18.com while adding that his firm is receiving multiple queries from patients concerned over the air pollution. “It is not good for both – the patients as well the reputation of our country.”
Other medical value tourism companies echoed similar concerns.
“Studies have proved that air pollution causes major health issues both in the long and short term. Hence, in this business, we cannot put the health of our patients at risk,” Amit Sharma, CEO of eExpedise Healthcare, said.
Air pollution has been “at an all-time high, especially in north India after Diwali” and the situation with smog is affecting the domestic population as well, he said. “Amidst this, it is prudent to pull back a little from inviting patients to India from overseas until the air quality gets better.”
Govt recognises deficit
The concerns of the industry have been recognised by the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) – an arm under the ministry of commerce and industry which is engaged in the promotion of India’s medical tourism industry in foreign countries.
Sunil Talati, chairman of SEPC, told News18.com, that the “high pollution scenario is hampering the growth of the medical tourism industry”.
“Post-pandemic, the medical value tourism sector was doing really well. It saw immense growth and the services export council also proposed and executed innovative ideas to help augment the sector multifold,” he said.
Talati agreed that with the current air-pollution scenario in north India, the industry is “facing some issues”.
“The overseas patients are a bit apprehensive about visiting at such a time as air pollution leads to many health problems,” he said while adding, “since we are positioning India as a global wellness destination, it is crucial that besides the treatment facilities our environment is also healthy.”
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