A prescription for Bengaluru

MS Guru Prasad, GM, international marketing, Narayana Health, Dr Ajay Bakshi, managing director & CEO, Manipal Health Enterprises, and Hari S Boolchandani, head, international business, Sakra World Hospital, opine on the potential of Bengaluru to become a medical tourism hub.

How can Bengaluru become India’s top medical tourism destination? What strategies need to be in place to achieve this? 

Hari: Bengaluru is a well-established and an ever growing city, both in terms of general infrastructure and healthcare facilities. It houses some of the biggest healthcare brands which are expanding capacities to cater to the increasing regional and international demands. The city has a cosmopolitan culture, the increasing connectivity with the world and the moderate climate are playing to the advantage as well.

The other major advantage is lower costs, as compared to north Indian hospitals. We have noticed a major shift in focus of Bengaluru hospitals towards the international markets in recent years. These hospitals need to keep this aggression on and deliver some good results in terms of healthcare delivery and in no time if not no 1, it will surely become one of the top three medical travel destinations in India. 

Dr Ajay: For Bengaluru to become India’s top medical tourism destination, most of the fundamentals are in place: the connectivity, cost, weather and brand awareness on Bengaluru, choice of healthcare providers

The strategies deployed by providers are to locate niche and closer markets that will offer patient inflow into the city. Markets that are price sensitive also a good league to be targeted. State initiatives if it can have a regulatory to address the challenges of medical travelleres and their stake holders will be a good start.