Hyderabad emerges as major healthcare hub

Hyderabad: ALONG with Delhi, Mumbai and other big cities in India, Hyderabad has emerged as a major healthcare hub for foreigners, attracting thousands of patients every year.

Though the coronavirus pandemic has interrupted the flow of foreign patients, Continental Hospital CEO Riyaz Khan said as many as 3 lakh patients used to visit the city for treatment during a normal year. "We used to get a good number of patients for all kinds of treatment like oncology, orthopedics, cardiology, spine surgery and others. Patients used to come from West Africa and Middle Eastern countries like Yemen, Oman, some parts of Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh," said Khan.

According to the doctor who is managing the 750-bedded JCI accredited hospital located in the financial district, there are myriad reasons for the city of pearls to emerge as a major destination for foreign clientele. Quality of service, affordability, local connections, direct flights, culture, cuisine and ease of getting services are some of them.

Cost of healthcare in India is still lesser when compared to Singapore or Thailand, proving to be one of the key reasons for this popularity. When Hyderabad is pitted against other cities within India, Khan said the IT city offers healthcare at 30 per cent to 35 per cent lesser cost compared to Delhi or Mumbai.

Besides the cost factor, Khan said the ease of arriving in Hyderabad, finding hospitals, local cuisine and culture are also major pull factors.

Multiple educational institutions and universities such as the University of Hyderabad, Osmania University, EFLU and others host a good number of foreign students from these countries, all of whom spread the word about the city's medical infrastructure.