India earned USD 7,400 million through medical tourism in last decade: Officials

Medical tourism has generated an income of USD 7,400 million in India over the last decade, and this figure is predicted to climb to USD 43,500 million in the next ten years, according to officials. The health sector in India has experienced significant private investment in the last five years, according to speakers at the Indian Chamber of Commerce-organized BIMSTEC Health Forum on Wednesday. Among the issues discussed by the delegates were the inclusion of mental health under overall health, focus on universal health coverage, telemedicine, information sharing, human capital exchange and collaborative opportunities. “Because BIMSTEC nations are sensitive to climate change, coordination between the commercial and public healthcare sectors, as well as the government, is required to effect good change while keeping the environment in mind,” an official said. Medical tourism is a recognised export from two BIMSTEC members – India and Thailand. A partnership with the Thai government has also been proposed to adopt ‘Swastha Sathi’ facilities (the West Bengal government’s healthcare scheme) and come up with a progressive plan for medical insurance, the officials said. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organisation that was established in 1997. The region has a combined population of over 1.68 billion people and a GDP of around USD 2.88 trillion. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook_,_  Twitter and  Instagram_._