The Indian state of Kerala is witnessing a boom in medical tourism. The number of foreign medical tourists traveling to the state steadily grows, and this trend has the full support of the local government. The government also plans to make Kerala one of the top five global destinations for medical tourism in the world.
The government has approved a medical tourist visa to facilitate inbound tourist flow. An important promotion for medical tourism is the Kerala Health Tourism (KTH)-2007 Fair that is to take place in Kochi from March 23 to 26. The KTH chairman Phillip Augustine said: ‘We are expecting 1,000 participants from within the country and abroad. There will be people from insurance companies, tour operators from health and tourism sectors, medical tourism planners and third-party administrators".
Kerala enjoys a good air-connection to Europe and the Middle East. Most medical tourists traveling to Kerala come from the above areas and from the US. The state is a beautiful destination in Southern India known for its scenic beaches and serene backwaters and therefore it offers ideal conditions for rehabilitation after a surgery.
Among the most popular treatments in Kerala there are the following dental treatments: tooth extractions and implantation, root canal treatment, crowns and bridges, denture fitting, periodontal care, cosmetic dentistry, and smile designing. The staff are properly qualified and most of the doctors speak English. The second most popular is ophthalmology. Among the most often performed surgeries there are Lasik - laser assisted eye surgery, corneal transplant surgery and treatment of conditions such as retinopathy. Local hospitals also perform transplant surgeries. As always, the main attraction for medical tourists is the low price of the treatments here.
