A Task Force on Health Tourism constituted by the ministry of health and family welfare would assess the opportunities for promoting India as a health destination, recommend action to be taken by the Central and State Governments and specially recommend about super speciality medical care, outsourcing of medical services to Indian IT based institutes and gainfully utilize the expertise available in traditional medicines.

The minister of health and family welfare, Dr. Ramadoss said this while addressing the Conference on Health Tourism - The Great Indian Advantage, organized by the Associated Chambers of Commerce (ASSOCHAM) here yesterday. Dr. Ramadoss said that the ministry of health and family welfare in close coordination with the ministry of tourism is evolving strategies to give a strategic push to open the Indian Health Care Sector to foreign tourists. The Task Force constituted in this regard in consultation with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) is in the process of formulating a policy for accreditation of hospitals both in modern system of medicines and Indian systems of medicine. The ministry is also considering setting up a National Accreditation Board for hospitals which will not only specify various standards for hospitals but also act as a linkage with other National and International boards, he added.

The minister said that the medical tourism is likely to become the next big success story after software, adding the key competitive advantages of India in medical tourism stem from its comparative cost advantage, Internationally renowned medical doctors and hospitals and the diversity of the tourists destination in the country. He said that compared to western countries, it is well documented that surgical procedures like heart bypass surgery or angioplasty come at a fraction of the cost in India with renowned quality doctors and the state of the art medical equipment. The tourists inflow for a wide medical service spectrum from wellness tourism to surgery and rehabilitation have made all interested stakeholders work towards the common goal of making India the preferred destination for medical tourism.

Dr. Ramadoss said that some measures like fast track clearance for medical patients at the airport are in the offing in coordination with other ministries which would be of great help to foreign tourists coming to India for medical treatment. In this regard, the minister also mentioned development of appropriate health packages for traditional therapies like yoga, meditation, ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine, which would not only attract high-end tourists from European and Middle East countries but also give a boost within the country.

Minister also sought active support of the industry in dealing with problems and programmes of the government like the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which has been launched countrywide.