Medical tourism may take a hit

Medical tourism may take a hit
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Hospitals in Goa engaged in medical tourism forsee a 50% fall in arrival of foreigners this season. Alarmed by initial trends, some hospitals are planning new schemes to attract walk-in foreign tourists.
“We expect a 50% decline among foreign tourists who come for dental, cosmetic or bariatic treatment to Goa. Generally during the tourist season, about 10 rooms are booked by foreigners, but the quantum is expected to be less this season,” said Victor Albuquerque, pioneer in medical tourism in Goa.
There’s been a steep decline in bookings by foreign patients at Albuquerque’s Margao hospital, Apollo Victor. From some 200 bookings by foreigners last year, the number has decreased to 20 this year. “We were expecting a 25% increase in foreign patients and had even tied up with hospitals in UK, but due to the global meltdown and Goa’s image sliding from bad to worse, there has been a drastic decline in the number of patients this season,” said Albuquerque.
Most hospitals in Goa offering cosmetic surgery were expecting an increase of about 25% to 50% of foreign patients this year. “The bookings are low this season even though we were expecting a higher turnout. We just hope there’s no decline in walk-in foreign tourists this season,” said Dr Digambar Naik of Vrundavan hospital, Mapusa.
Interestingly, to attract walk-in foreign tourists, Goan hospitals are now planning new schemes. Said Selvio Fernandes, marketing manager, Campal Clinic, “We are also not far from introducing attractive schemes as it is the need of the hour. However, we have yet to decide on what to offer to our international clients.” LOW COST TREATMENT Schemes to woo medical tourists
Panaji: With hospitals in Goa expecting a decline in foreigners coming for treatment to the state this season, they are thinkin up innovative schemes to woo the medical-tourist.
“We are planning to offer discounts or free health check-ups to walk-in international patients. The whole idea is to make them feel important,” said Edna Noronha, manager (marketing), Apollo Victor hospital.
Some hospitals are planning to send medical teams to examine patients at their hotels rather than have them come to hospital.
Low-cost treatment and better facilities had turned Goa into a hot destination for tourists seeking dental or cosmetic treatment. In 2007, about 250 tourists went under the scapel in a bid to enhance their looks in four hospitals across the state.
A majority of the tourists who came for treatment were
from the United Kingdom and the United States. According to doctors, the most sought after treatments were liposuction (fat removal), facelift, tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, botox treatment and breast enlargement or reduction.

September 19, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition