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Medical tourism — India becoming preferred choice for Omani people Hence even surgeons conform to Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hour rule. Indian surgeons get there faster than their western counterparts. Indian doctors are brilliant at making do with less resources and this all consider as our USP. Internet-friendly: Indian hospitals and doctors are IT savvy and have taken to internet like fish to water. They are available online in the form of emails/forums/academic groups. Success rate: India has a lot of world class doctors and surgeons and the success rate in India is quite high compared to other countries. When the patients return to their countries, they praise the dedication, love and care of the nursing staff. Hospitality: Foreigners love the way people in India go out of their way to make them feel at home. Indian people are among the most hospitable in the world. There are many cultural aspects besides financial benefits in choosing India as destination for medical treatment. India has been culturally attached to most of the Asian countries for centuries and people of these countries have a kind of affinity towards India and Indian people.
The last two years have seen a significant rise in the number of Omanis visiting India for their health related needs
SHAHZAD RAZA
shahzad@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Encouraged by an array of cost-effective options and a high success rate, people of Oman are beginning to find India a preferred destination for medical treatment and other health and wellness issues. India’s $3 billion medical tourism industry is projected to grow to $7 billion by 2020. With the last two years seeing a significant rise in the number of Omanis visiting India for their health related needs, medical tourism is in India is growing at a very healthy rate. “Oman is a significant part of GCC which has made the highest contribution to India’s medical tourism growth in the last three years. Overall, there has been as much as 41 percent increase in the number of tourists from Oman to India in 2015 compared to the figure in 2014,” I.R.V Rao, Assistant Director, Indiatourism in Dubai, informed Times of Oman yesterday. Based in Nasa Building in Dubai, Indiatourism, a part of India’s Ministry of Tourism, is responsible for tourism promotion in the region. According to Rao, highly experienced specialised doctors and healthcare professionals, good connectivity with a number of airlines operating between Oman and India, world class healthcare infrastructure and affordable options make India one of the top destinations for medical tourism. “The percentage of people opting for medical tourism or healthcare facilities abroad has grown tremendously in recent years. On an average, the medical tourism industry is growing at a rate of 15
to 25 percent,” he added. Most hospitals in India have become very professional in handling protocols and public relationship. Even before the patient arrives in India, the doctor has complete history of the patient. Some hospitals also have Arabic speaking staff. They have started providing halal food as well. Talking about the Omanis and Arabs opting to visit India, he said apart from the complex surgeries, majority of the patients from the Middle East came for gastroenterology, hip and knee replacements and ophthalmic treatments. India specialises in spa and ayurvedic treatments. Ayurveda is a five thousand year old way of treatment in India. Yoga is another reason bringing health-conscious people to India. Nowadays tourists prefer to take 10 to 15 days Yoga courses in Yoga Ashrams located in different part of India. “Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Miraj, Pune, Goa, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Agra and Nagpur attract the majority of people visiting India for medical tourism,” he explained. India’s popular cities known for their tourism value include Munnar, Kochi, Wynad, Trivandrum, Alleppey, Lollam; Goa, Shimla, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Mumbai, Delhi-Agra-Jaipur Golden Triangle, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mysore, Ooty, Hyderabad and others. India is trying to attract more medical tourists from Africa, GCC and CIS regions, which are basically inclined towards South East Asian medical corridors. When asked what steps have been taken to project India as a competitive option, Rao said: “ Indian medical tourism is thriv-
ing and provides cost effective and very high quality treatment to international patients. Many hospitals are now NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals) and JCI (Joint Commission International) approved hospitals, providing international standard treatments. “The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries, is organising medical tourism road shows in the GCC and African countries to attract medical tourists to India.” Explaining further, he said Apollo Hospital, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, Narayana, SGRH, Ruby, MIOT, Shanker Netralaya (Eye); Medanata Medicity etc are some of the hospitals where international patients from Middle East, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Africa coming for treatment. “These hospitals provide special packages including visa assistance and language interpreter services. A lot of African patients, especially from Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana and South Africa visit Chennai for medical treatment. MIOT, Apollo, MMM, Sri Ramachandra Hospital, etc are particularly famous for treating international patients. Patients from Saudi Arabia and UAE too have started taking medical treatment in India in emergency as there is no waiting period involved and of course due to international stand-
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ard of treatment offered,” he added. Why India? People have confidence and faith in Indian doctors because of the number of cases they handle in the given time. India offers many unique advantages as a popular destination for medical tourism which include: Affordability: Due to the high number of surgeries in India doctors and hospitals are able to obtain instruments and consumables at a lower rate than in other
countries. Also sometimes hospitals obtain consumables directly through source company which eliminates the middle men. It is a fact that a high volume hospitals even produce their own consumables in a factory. This and low remuneration of doctors in India drives down total costs hence the US$250,000 surgery in US can be done for US$ 5-10k in India with sometimes better results in India. Expertise: Indian surgeons operate on 10 times more cases than a similar surgeon in Europe or US.
Popular treatments in India Cosmetic surgery: Cosmetic surgery procedures, which are high in demand worldwide, include breast augmentation, nose reshaping, liposuction, facelift and eyelid surgery. Dentistry: Dental treatments are popular due to high savings. Most developed countries, like the USA, have exorbitant costs for dental procedures and no insurance cover for such procedures. Hence the demand for treatment overseas. Cardiovascular: Angioplasty, Coronary Artery Bypass and many other surgeries cost a fortune in many developed countries. Such procedures can be performed in third world countries like India, with advanced technology and clinical expertise at less than half the prices in the US.
LITERARY FEAST
New Bank Muscat debit card promotion gains momentum MUSCAT: An exciting promotion launched by Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, offering attractive cash prizes for debit cardholders, has gained momentum. Launched in line with the ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and commitment to partnership in enhancing the banking experience, the exclusive debit card promotion, which runs till December 31, 2016, is yet another value addition benefiting the largest banking family in Oman. For participation in the monthly draw offering 30 cash prizes, all that the customers need to do is to use their Bank Muscat debit card for transactions instead of cash, and they could be one of 30 winners receiving OMR100 each. Customers can double the chance to win by using the debit card for international and online transactions. ATM cash withdrawal transactions are not considered for the offer, says a press release. Eligibility All Bank Muscat debit cardholders are eligible to participate in the promotion. All transactions using Bank Muscat debit cards are valid and a minimum of five transactions, each worth OMR5 and above a month, entitle customers for a chance to enter the monthly draw. Customers making a single debit card transaction worth OMR25 and above are also eligible to participate in the monthly draw. The more the debit card transactions, the more the chances to participate in the draws. Time and again, Bank Muscat takes the lead in launching novel campaigns and promotions that continuously enhance value as well as create unique opportunities that enrich life for customers. Bank Muscat cards, which spell convenience and security, is the preferred mode of payment in Oman. The wide range of Bank Muscat cards provide a secure option to pay for a host of transactions across millions of merchant
ISC Urdu Wing annual Mushaira to entrall poetry lovers on Friday
For participation in the monthly draw offering 30 cash prizes, all that the customers need to do is to use their Bank Muscat debit card for transactions instead of cash, and they could be one of 30 winners receiving OMR100 each outlets in Oman and abroad. The campaign reiterates the bank’s commitment to promoting secure card payment in Oman. Packed with an array of features and benefits, the new Chip and PIN debit card is designed to make everyday purchases and payments easier. Offering greater flexibility and convenience, the card provides access to the bank’s largest network of branches, ATMs and CDMs across Oman. The innovative chip-based
cards provide additional security for transactions through Personal Identification Number (PIN). The initiative heralding the future cards in Oman is in line with the Omani government’s ambitious eGovernment project. The cards are in conformity with international standards and reflect the bank’s commitment to ensure convenience and security for all card transactions. The attractive features of the debit cards include payment convenience, facilitating shopping at millions of retail outlets across the world. Customers enjoy cash withdrawal from ATMs within and outside Oman. With global acceptance, the card provides easy access to bank account across millions of ATMs and retail outlets all over the world. Using the card, customers can shop on the Internet with confidence as the card is protected with the additional Verified by Visa (VbV) security. Customers also receive alerts on mobile phones for transactions made using the card. Cardholders can avail this service by registering their mobile number with the bank. The services available for cardholders include 24-hour Call Centre support, convenience of phone banking and Internet banking 24x7.
MUSCAT: The much-awaited annual event for the lovers of Urdu poetry will be held on Friday, September 23 at Al Bustan Palace Hotel at 7.30 p.m onwards. Urdu Wing of Indian Social Club is the organizer of Mushaira with the motto ‘Commemorating Urdu - the idiom of heritage and affection.’ Mushairas have played a vital role in preserving and reviving the Urdu language. The convener of Urdu Wing, Mohammad Faizi emphasized the importance of the Mushaira, as a literary rich cultural programme. Established as well as budding poets get an excellent public platform to showcase their finest skills and express their passion, says a press release. Syed Salman, cultural head of the Urdu Wing says, “Mushaira a poetic symposium, helps in advancing a multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan image of Urdu language. Uniting people through poetry, mushairas dissolve differences of caste, creed and belief. Furthermore he mentioned that this time we are having prominent poets from India who will be visiting Oman for the first time.” Munawwar Rana, who is one of the famous Indian Urdu poet. He is a recipient of many awards like Khusroo Award and Sahitya Akademi Award, to name a few for his work in Urdu literature and propagation of the language. The distinguished trait of his poetry is that he uses the genre of Ghazal to eulogise mother, which is distinctive. He has taken Urdu shayari and ghazals to a new level where Urdu poetry is exhibited in a lot of different variety rather than just the medium of conversation between
two lovers. Rana is known to be a sensitive poet who uses Hindi and Awadhi words in the couplets. Apart from his poetry collection, Rana has also penned a memoir. Rana’s poetry has also been published in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Gurumukhi. Iqbal Ashhar is one of the most popular ‘Adabi’ Urdu poets and is very popular among the critics. A modern poet known for his philosophic inclinations and poetic brilliance, he has entertained audience worldwide. His magical verses include: ‘Urdu hai mera naam, main Khusro ki paheli Main Meer ki humraaz hun, Ghalib ki saheli. Rais Ansari, an admired versifier and one of the best nazim’s of contemporary time will be taking care of the proceedings of the mushaira. Saba Balrampuri is in the emerging league of big names in Urdu poetry and she has a huge fan following. Gifted with the staple of romantic rhetoric, she draws the audience’s attention everywhere in the mushairas. Manish Shukla is the director of Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan and has represented Urdu poetry very well at various international forums inclusive of various mushairas in middle-east.
Altaf Zia is one of the talented and budding urdu poets who take the mehfil to an upper level and recite in taranum. Hashim Firozabadi is one of the younger generation shayers and is very popular among the masses with his Ghazals and has been the participants in ‘all India level’ Mushairas. Hushsham Amir better known as famous Khataulvi is a prominent name in humorous poetry. The event is presented by Al Omaniya Financial Services. Aftab Patel, CEO of Al Omaniya Financial Services said, ‘Mushaira is an important event in the cultural calendar of Oman and provides high quality intellectual enrichment and entertainment. We are proud to be the presenter of Mushaira since its inception and congratulate the Urdu Wing of the Indian Social Club who work diligently to organize the event.’ The event is powered by Bank of Beruit. Imran Merchant is confident that the Mushaira shall be a big success amongst people who have a taste of poetry and enjoy the literary gatherings. Al Nahdha is a major support sponsors. The other support sponsors are Jindal Shadeed, Raha, OSCO, Presidency Infraheights, National Paints, Al Hashar Travels, Nuhas Oman, Renna Mobile.