Q.Which one of the following statements is true regarding ‘medical tourism’ in India ? (A) Tourists travel specially for availing cheap medical facilities. (B) Doctors travel to developed country to do surgical operation. (C) Doctors travel to treat the patients. (D) Tourists on trip get treated, if they fall ill.

Imagine you need a surgery that costs ₹15 lakh in a private hospital in Delhi. Now imagine you could fly to another country, get the same surgery in a world-class hospital, stay in a hotel for recovery, and still spend less than ₹10 lakh all included. That is the core idea behind medical tourism.

At its simplest, medical tourism is when people travel from their home country to another country specifically to receive medical, dental, or surgical care. The "tourism" part is often secondary — the primary purpose is treatment, though many patients do combine it with sightseeing or recovery in a pleasant location.

Why do people become medical tourists?

The reasons fall into a few clear categories:

• Cost savings. This is the biggest driver. A heart bypass that costs $100,000 in the United States might cost$10,000 in India or Thailand. Even after adding airfare and accommodation, the patient saves a huge amount.
• Access to advanced treatments. Some countries have cutting-edge technology or specialised procedures not yet available or approved in the patient's home country. For example, certain stem cell therapies or advanced fertility treatments.
• Shorter waiting times. In countries with public healthcare systems (like the UK or Canada), non-emergency surgeries can have waiting lists of months or even years. Medical tourism offers a way to get treated immediately.
• High-quality care at lower cost. Many top hospitals in medical tourism destinations are accredited by international bodies (like JCI — Joint Commission International) and offer standards comparable to the best in the West, but at a fraction of the price.
• Combined treatment and vacation. Some patients choose a destination where they can recover in a pleasant environment — a beach resort, a quiet hill station — and even do light tourism after their procedure.

What makes a country a medical tourism destination?

Not every country with good doctors qualifies. A true medical tourism destination typically has:

• Internationally accredited hospitals with modern infrastructure and English-speaking staff.
• Specialised centres of excellence — for example, Thailand for gender reassignment surgery, India for cardiac surgery and joint replacements, Singapore for oncology, South Korea for cosmetic surgery.
• Government support — many countries actively promote medical tourism through visas, marketing, and quality standards.
• Affordable costs relative to developed nations.
• Good connectivity — direct flights, easy visa processes, and a stable political environment.

The role of India

India is one of the world's top medical tourism destinations. The NCERT textbook (Class 12 Geography, Chapter on Tertiary and Quaternary Activities) explicitly mentions this. India offers:

• Highly skilled doctors, many trained abroad.
• Advanced private hospitals in cities like Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. …