In a bid to give a fillip to medical tourism, the government is contemplating to extending the e-visa facility for those considering India as their favoured destination for medical treatment.In a bid to give a fillip to medical tourism, the government is contemplating to extending the e-visa facility for those considering India as their favoured destination for medical treatment. Minister for tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma is expected to have a meeting with all other linked ministries to facilitate the proposal soon.

During the first meeting of the National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board, set up to look into the issues in the sector, the minister said that his ministry will explore the e-visa facility for patients who have to wait for a long time to get visas for medical purposes. “As of now, medical tourists are coming on a normal visa. Medical visa is an issue at present as people coming to India for treatment are opting for tourist visa. Other countries such as Thailand and Singapore are doing much better. But India has an advantage as treatment costs are lower here compared to many other countries. We will find ways so that the e-visa facility can soon become a reality for patients,” he said.

To make things convenient for patients landing in India, the ministry is also mulling setting up a “receiving counter” where a kit with a pre-loaded sim card in it can be given to them. “India is a newcomer in the medical tourism industry and we are competing effectively with our expertise, almost zero infection rate and all state-of-the-art facilities,” said Dr Naresh Trehan, one of the members of the board.According to experts, the e-visa facility alone can help medical tourism grow significantly. India attract patients from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and all African countries. While the consulates requires not only the patients to visit in person for the visa formalities, most countries take months to extend visa to ailing patients.

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