The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Capitalise on good facilities to promote medical tourism: Subburaj

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Saturday, Jul 19, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Capitalise on good facilities to promote medical tourism: Subburaj

Special Correspondent

Chennai has emerged as the medical hub, says State Health Secretary

Hospitals now leaders in providing comprehensive medicare
Cost, delivery of quality health care attracted overseas visitors

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department could capitalise on the excellent medical facilities available in Tamil Nadu for promoting medical tourism and Chennai has emerged as the medical hub, State Secretary for Health and Family Welfare Department V.K. Subburaj said here on Friday.

Speaking at the inaugural function of a one-day workshop on “medical tourism-opportunities and challenges” organised by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), Mr. Subburaj said that hospitals in the State had emerged as leaders in providing comprehensive medicare.

While complimenting the TTDC for being a pioneer in identifying medical tourism as one of the promising areas to be capitalised for wooing overseas tourists, Mr. Subburaj said the major factors for overseas visitors who opt for undergoing treatment in Chennai was cost, and delivery of quality health care services.

In this context, he explained how the government was attaching greater importance to moulding trained manpower especially in nursing and paramedical staff. The Health and Tourism Department would work in tandem to ensure that the overseas visitors get the right and proper medicare and at the same rejuvenate themselves at the various tourist attractions in the State.

Mr.Subburaj also released a brochure brought out by Meditour India, the nodal agency involved with the TTDC for launching the medical tourism in the State. The first copy was received by V. Irai Anbu, State Secretary for Tourism and Culture Department.

Appeal to hospitals

Mr. Anbu said the need of the hour was effective steps to convert the patients along with their accompanying attendants into tourists. The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), Sanwat Ram, highlighted how Tamil Nadu and Chennai in particular had made great strides in providing healthcare services in both public and private hospitals.

The Past President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Vijay N. Koli, outlined the steps taken for creating a permanent office in San Antonio, Texas, U.S., to propagate the information regarding medical services available in Tamil Nadu.

The President, Tamil Nadu Medical Practitioners’ Association, Chennai, C.M.K. Reddy, assured all assistance to the TTDC for promoting medical tourism.

The Commissioner of Tourism and Managing Director of TTDC, M. Rajaram, sought the support of medical institutions and the fraternity to aggressively promote medical tourism with innovative approaches and affordable tour packages with emphasis on helping the patients to have speedy recovery at exotic tourist locations.

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