Monday, February 6, 2023
An amount of Rs 30 crore has been earmarked for medical tourism in Kerala in the budget presented by Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal on February 3. This comes at a time when India pitched itself as a medical tourism destination at the G20 meeting recently.
The budget presented on Friday focuses on activities that transform the state into a health hub by providing better healthcare and health tourism services by expanding and modernizing existing facilities, Times News Network (TNN) reported.
Dr Sulphi Noohu, president, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kerala, was quoted by TNN as saying, “Health tourism has tremendous potential which the previous governments had ignored. But not anymore. There is also a slight increase in the overall allocation for health and this is good news.”
TNN further stated that India is a key medical tourism destination in Asia with over 5 lakh foreign patients arriving annually. Kerala traditionally receives patients from Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and MD, Aster DM Healthcare, said, “The allocation for R&D, science and technology would further strengthen a knowledge-based economy.”
“The budget is very promising. The ‘Nerkazhcha’ project for timely eye check-up to preserve sight is promising and innovative. The government has addressed the concern of manpower shortage by allotting additional funds for medical education and setting up paramedical institutions,” said Dr Devin Prabhakar, vice-president, Qualified Private Medical Practitioners’ Association.
Tags: kerala, medical tourism
