From Pakistan to India — A new lease on life

India today has become one of the premier destinations for Medical Tourism for people across the world. The number of patients traveling to India has drastically increased. In total, more than 465,000 medical visas were issued for the purpose of treatment in India in the year 2016.

India receives a majority of its medical tourists from neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Some of the other countries that significantly contribute to the Indian medical tourism market include Oman, Fiji, USA, UK, Iraq, Tanzania, and other Middle Eastern countries.

Patient from Nigeria also forms an important part of the Indian medical tourism ecosystem. According to the statistics furnished by the Indian High Commission, as many as 18,000 Nigerians received medical treatment in Indian hospitals on a medical visa in 2012. The numbers have significantly increased since then. On the other hand, 81,822 people from Oman traveled to India on a medical visa for treatment in 2015. The numbers have increased considerably since then.

India is a popular medical tourism destination for cosmetic, orthopedic, cardiac, organ transplant, and neurology procedures. Several factors can be attributed to the success of India as one of the leading medical tourism destinations in the world. The availability of highly educated medical doctors and surgeons, comparatively low cost of treatment, and affordable cost of living are some of the major drivers. These factors, among others, attract a huge number of patients from neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh. Such patients are often provided with discounted packages, visa assistance, and other services to make their stay as comfortable and convenient as possible.

Here are some of the success of stories of patients from Pakistan, who came to India for medical treatment.

Patient Name: Kanwal Sadiq
Treatment Name: Heart Surgery
Hospital: Jaypee Hospital

After the successful heart surgery of four-month-old infant from Pakistan, External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj met him. Rohaan successfully underwent a heart surgery at Jaypee Hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida. Rohaan’s father, Kanwal Sadiq, who was elated at the outcome of the surgery, took the opportunity to thank Swaraj.

Patient Name: Tariq Nazeer Ranja
Treatment Name: Liver Transplantation
Hospital: Fortis Hospital

The story of a teacher from Pakistan suffering from Hepatitis-C and was told his chances of survival were slim in Pakistan Hospitals. After coming to Fortis Hospital, India he was had to undergo Liver Transplantation. Check how he arranged the entire treatment and how he underwent Liver Transplantation.

Patient Name: Mohammad Saad
Treatment: Liver Transplant
Hospital: Medanta Hospital

Watch the successful case of Liver Transplant of a 6-year-old Pakistani patient, Mohammed Saad, performed by Medanta experts in India. Doctors gave new lease of life to Saad suffering from biliary atresia.

Indian Medical Visa Processing Fee

The fee for Indian medical visa for Pakistani nationals is PKR 100. For non-Pakistani nationals the medical visa fees are:

• 6 Months: 8,800 PKR
• 1 Year: 13,200 PKR

Except for medical or family emergencies, visa applications are not received by the Indian High Commission directly. Applicants are required to submit their visas at centers of the two visa outsourcing companies, namely:

• TCS Visatronics
• Gerry’s International Visa Drop Box

Indian Medical Visa Processing Time

Indian medical visa is processed within 35 days from the day of its submission in Pakistan.

In case of Emergency Medical Visa

Emergency medical visa applied in Pakistan is processed and delivered on the same day if:

• The High Commission is satisfied with the urgency for the requirement of the medical visa.
• If the medical visa application is submitted before 1300hrs

Medical Tourism from Various Countries

The report listed orthopedics, cardiology, and neurology as among the top reasons for foreign patients going to India.

The highest average earnings per patient for foreigners in India are from Pakistan at $2,906. Pakistan is followed by Bangladesh ($2,084), CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries ($1,950), Russia ($1,618) and Iraq ($1,530), according to a first of its kind survey on export of health services by Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, part of the commerce ministry.