Foreign patients flock to TN as hubs offer specialised, fuss-free healthcare

Tamil Nadu has emerged as a leading destination in medical tourism, attracting approximately 15 lakh international medical tourists annually, according to recent data cited by Tamil Nadu’s Health Minister Ma Subramanian, based on the Union Tourism Department statistics.

Multiple factors, as per experts, have contributed to earning the state the status: affordable, high-quality medical services, state-of-the-art facilities, minimal waiting time, and a workforce fluent in English.

Affordable rates, timely surgeries

Hospitals in cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Vellore are at the forefront, catering to patients from countries such as Bangladesh, Oman, Iraq, Kenya, Egypt, and the Maldives, who seek specialised treatments in cardiology, orthopaedics, oncology, organ transplants, and cosmetic surgery.

The patients say that they receive quality healthcare at a fraction of the cost compared to Western countries or even other Asian medical tourism hubs like Thailand and Singapore.

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An attendant of a patient from Nigeria at one of the private hospitals in the city told The Federal that they chose Tamil Nadu because they wanted affordable but specialised trauma care for her family member, which is either too costly in other countries or has a very long waiting period.

For instance, a procedure like a heart bypass, which has a long waiting time in the United States or Canada and costs at least about Rs 50 lakhs-Rs 60 lakhs (when computed in Indian currency), is completed on time without compromising on the quality at almost half the cost in India.

Foreign patients flock to Chennai, Vellore, Coimbatore

While Chennai leads the state’s medical tourism industry, the city is home to several private hospitals that treat patients from more than 100 countries, offering specialised care in fields like cardiology, oncology, trauma care, orthopaedics and organ transplants, particularly from the Middle East and Africa.

Rohit M, head of International Patient Services at MGM Healthcare in Chennai, says that most foreign patients travel to India to avail treatment in the fields of oncology, cardiovascular, multi-organ transplantation, IVF, and neurosurgery.

“Of the lot, Bangladesh, Iraq, and Maldives contribute to almost 80 per cent of the total volume in Chennai," he said.

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Coimbatore, Madurai, and Vellore are also gaining popularity for their expertise in transplants and cosmetic surgery, attracting patients from neighbouring countries like the Maldives and Bangladesh.

Vellore’s Christian Medical College (CMC) draws thousands of patients annually for its affordable yet high-quality care in specialties like neurology and organ transplants.

Transparency in organ donation, transplants

"The medical services and treatments are affordable and almost half the cost of the same procedures in other corporate hospitals in the Christian Medical College. The patients come here from Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, and many parts of North India as there are leading medical experts available to treat them," says Iniyan Xavier, a cardiologist at CMC Vellore.

He added that the patients express their satisfaction with the quality of services provided by the hospital, and after the word spreads about good medical services, many others also follow, since state-of-the-art facilities are available at a reasonable price. There is better transparency in organ donation and transplant systems, which is one more reason that drives these patients to Tamil Nadu."

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A significant factor is the minimal waiting period for procedures. Unlike countries with overburdened healthcare systems, Tamil Nadu’s hospitals offer swift scheduling for surgeries and consultations, a critical advantage for patients requiring urgent interventions.

Dr Raju Sivasamy, vice president at SIMS Hospital, told The Federal that patients travel for minor to all major and complex procedures, including cardiac surgeries like CABG, valve replacements, and angioplasties to aortic aneurysm.

'Patients visit for both minor, major issues'

"Among orthopaedic surgeries, knee and hip replacement surgeries and trauma surgeries are the most common. Craniotomy, brain aneurysm, epilepsy surgery, and deep brain stimulation are also some of the most sought-after procedures. There are all sorts of cosmetic procedures, of which hair transplant and hand transplant are popular. Oncology therapies, which include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, including HIPEC, are the most sought after,” Dr Sivasamy said.

“We see a majority of the cases from SAARC, Gulf, East Africa, South Asia, even for complicated gastroenterology, including Whipple procedures, TACE AND TARE surgery, IVF, erectile dysfunction, and others."

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He said that, besides a shorter waiting period, the easy availability of specialist consultants is also a major reason drawing international patients to Tamil Nadu.

Specialised care, competent staff

The efficiency of specialised care is particularly appealing to patients from countries like Iraq and Kenya, where access to timely specialised care can be limited.

S Sivakumar, general manager of marketing at Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre in Madurai says that international-level infrastructure, LEED Platinum certified green design, biophilic patient rooms, and digitally integrated healthcare systems are available in the state, which attracts medical tourists from the UK, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Middle East, South and East Africa, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Singapore, and Malaysia for various specialities including oncology, gastroenterology, and dental care.

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The presence of English-speaking medical staff further enhances Tamil Nadu’s appeal. With doctors, nurses, and support staff assisting international patients, they face minimal language barriers and feel at ease navigating consultations, diagnoses, and post-treatment care.

What will boost industry’s growth?

Experts say that the creation of regulatory bodies to promote medical tourism, relaxing the ease of medical visa norms, expanding the e-medical visa facility to more countries, and other measures can improve the medical tourism industry further.

"Efforts can be taken to mandate and incentivise hospitals with NABH & JCI accreditations treating international patients and encourage public-private partnerships to create global marketing consortia. ⁠Global marketing campaigns such as ‘Heal in India’ and ‘Care with Compassion’ to promote India at the global level can also be helpful for attracting more medical tourists. The air connectivity with all metro cities in India for high-demand countries can also be improved," said Rohit M.

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Government hospitals, such as Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai and Omandurar Medical College and Hospital, also have a huge scope to attract medical tourists from other countries. The hospitals offer subsidised treatments, making them accessible to patients from lower-income countries and with advanced technologies like robotic surgeries and the availability of Cath labs.

Need for pay wards

“We should have separate pay wards for international patients, which should have special nurses and doctors, who need to be appointed to take care of medical tourists in government hospitals. The paramedical staff also need to be appointed for the pay wards of the international patients. There has to be a separate catering system to take care of the attendants since it has to be a comprehensive service that patients need to be provided," said a former dean of a government hospital in the state, on condition of anonymity.

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Health minister Ma Subramanian had recently stated that 25 per cent of all international patients visiting the country are treated in Tamil Nadu. He said that the state has advanced equipment, such as the robotic surgery unit at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital, Omandurar Estate, and specialised infrastructure and medical care are available for the patients seeking care at an affordable cost. With pay wards in government hospitals, the medical care is also made comfortable and convenient.