Care Tourism

New Delhi :

India has tightened visas for Maldives in what is being seen as retaliation for the GMR  fiasco in that country. New Delhi has stopped Maldivians from using their visa-free travel facilities to India for other activities like medical treatment, restricting it only to tourism.

India revised its earlier “liberal” interpretation of the 1979 bilateral visa agreement with Maldives this month which allowed thousands of Maldivians to use a 90-day visa-on-arrival facility — meant only for tourism — to travel for treatment in Indian hospitals. The Indian government  indulged in Maldivians’ liberal use of the facility. But that will no longer be allowed, said sources. Now, Maldivians will need valid medical visas for treatment in Indian hospitals or face deportation, New Delhi has warned.

Foreign minister Salman Khurshid  suggested that a lack of reciprocity by Male had forced India to cut down on its largesse in doling out visas. “We know that people from the Maldives  come here for treatment but as far as visas are concerned, we will go strictly by the rules,” said Khurshid. While India allowed Maldivians to seek treatment on tourist visas — as it never questioned the purpose of their visit —authorities in Male have admitted that there always was a “mutual understanding” that such travelers required medical visa.

Indications are that Maldives is already facing the heat. Calling for its nationals not to depend on any one country for treatment, Male has now approached Sri Lanka  saying it wants to extend its healthcare scheme to some of the hospitals in Colombo. Now, Maldivians are queuing up outside the Indian High Commission to seek medical visas which are limited in number. The Maldivian home minister said they would approach Thailand for help in medical treatment for its citizens.

According to the Indian government, Maldives’ interpretation of the visa agreement was always different and that until now it was more difficult for Indians to get into Maldives than the other way round. The fact that India workers’ passports are confiscated by their employers is something India has repeatedly taken up with authorities in Male but to no avail.

According to India, Maldives detains and deports about 50 Indian nationals every year. Maldivian home minister Mohammed Jameel Ahmed denied the charge, saying that only four have been deported this year. But the Indian High Commission contradicted him on Saturday. “Regarding the deportation of Indian travelers from Male International Airport, the High Commission of India stands by its figures,” said the High Commission in a statement. Unlike Maldives, India has also been giving tourist visas free of cost. After tightening visa regulations, India has put forward a list of demands to Maldives in which it has also sought quick release of 14 Indians detained in the  Indian Ocean  nation.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> India / by Sachin Parashar, TNN / December 31st, 2012

Medical tourism could give the Bahamian economy an annual “$100 million-plus” boost, a prominent physician said yesterday, adding that stem cell therapy could be a key part of the nation’s thrust into this  industry.

Dr Arthur Porter, chairman of a task force established to review the controversial stem cell treatment, and offer recommendations on its use in the Bahamas, told Tribune Business yesterday that its was the future of medicine in the Bahamas and wider world.

“We had  a specific discussion about stem cells, but medical tourism is far bigger than that; it’s about a whole range of therapies etc,” Dr Porter said yesterday.

#“What we felt was that if we we’re going to embark on something like stem cell therapy, that it should be part of a broader picture where we have the right sort of framework for medical tourism.

“That means we have to have the right legislation, we have to be nimble on an international scale, we have to be able to compete with the other countries who are doing it from a business standpoint. It doesn’t just mean stem cells; it could be a  whole range of other therapies.”

#Dr Porter added: “When  you look at many reports, people are talking about medical tourism bringing in several billion dollars a year worldwide.

“A lot of that is going to pre-established places in south-east Asia, India and in Singapore, but certainly our market here could be $100 million plus per year.

“That’s looking at medical tourism in a broad way. Once you start getting something like that it fosters other sciences, it fosters the physicians, the research labs, the hotels, the economy generally.

“When you look at the industries where the Bahamas has been successful , say the hotel industry we have a whole range of regulations to make that sector move, and maybe we need the same sort of thing if we are embarking on medical tourism in a big way. Perhaps stem cell will be the sharp end of the wedge in terms of getting it done.”

Dr Porter, who presented a report on the task force’s recommendation on stem cell therapy to Minister of Health, Dr Perry Gomez, yesterday, revealed that the committee agreed that neither embryonic stem cell therapy, nor reproductive human cloning, should be done in the Bahamas, but that the use of stem cells from a person’s body should be permitted in this jurisdiction.

“We believe that with the profound implications of stem cell therapy, there should be widespread consultation with the various stakeholder groups that will be involved in making the ultimate decision, so that people are aware of the importance of stem cells, some of the ethical issues and be able to opine in this regard,” Dr Porter said.

#“We felt that stem cells will be an important part of the medical tourism thrust, but we also felt the Government needed to review – and broadly review – what is necessary for a successful medical tourism industry. We do have the appropriate legislation, but the legislation has to be state of the art for us to compete with the world.”

source: http://www.tribune242.com / Home> Editorial / by  Natario McKenzie / Tribune Business Reporter / nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net / Friday, December 28th, 2012

Recently Miguel Forbes in his article “Medical Tourism Is A Massive Opportunity For Emerging Nations Like Thailand,” pointed out the benefits of foreign medical care. American trained doctors, in hospitals that are as well equipped as those found in the U.S. but found in third world countries.  Thailand is now a destination hotspot for those looking for first rate medical care at a fifth of the cost. Plus you can factor in a nice vacation as well.

“Many countries like Thailand don’t have the strict FDA regulation and threat of malpractice lawsuits that are big factors in the American healthcare industry. So in addition to traditional medicine, they can provide stem cell therapy and other ground breaking treatments not offered in America.”

I’ve heard stories of folks heading off to Mexico  and Costa Rica  and recently Germany  for medical and dental care. While I cannot comment about the level of care (here is where my lawyers come and spoil that picture!) I can observe that there are a number of groups that oversee such care.  Research is the key, however.

We can assume that ” The Medical Tourism Association” which has been under a cloud in times past, now no longer is in trouble. Many countries have their own associations that regulate their medical care for foreigners. Ultimately it is up to you to make that decision. The idea of a vacation along with medical care done with first world expertise is appealing, however.

The bottom line?  It’s your money and more importantly your health and well-being. Use the internet (and trust your instinct!) wisely to find the best doctor for your situation.

source: http://www.GoldenBoomers.com / Home> Finance> Health> International / posted by Peter / by Miguel Forbes