Hyderabad: Apollo Health City, Hyderabad, has been conferred the coveted National Tourism Award for ‘Best Medical Tourism Facility’ for the year 2017-18. This is the third consecutive year and overall sixth time, Apollo Health City has been bestowed with the prestigious honor.
Mr. Pralhad Singh Patel, Union Minister of State (Independent charge), for Tourism and Culture and Mr. Zurab Poolikashvili, Secretary-General, World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) presented the award at a glittering ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on Friday. Mr. V. Srinivas Goud, Honorable Tourism Minister of Telangana, received the award along with the delegation from Apollo Hospitals.
Speaking about the award, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India has the potential to become the preferred global healthcare destination. Our clinical excellence, marked by quality processes, best patient safety practices, and ongoing commitment to innovation, has not only helped us make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable but has placed us on cutting edge of healthcare delivery, affording us several differentiators in various Centres of Excellence. Today, Apollo Hospitals welcomes patients from across the world, who come to experience world-class healthcare complemented by our rich heritage of healing and vibrant culture, all at a fraction of the cost as compared to the West!”
“We appreciate the government’s efforts to promote medical value tourism by easing the visa regime for medical visits and the introduction of e-visa for medical tourists. This has resulted in the number of patients coming to India for treatment growing at a rate of 20-25% year on year,” he added.
The latest figures available for 2017 show almost 500,000 medical tourists visited India for various treatments including cardiac surgery, cancer treatment, bone marrow transplant, eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, orthopedic surgery including hip replacement, and alternative medicine.
Before the award for 2017-18, Apollo Health City, Hyderabad, was conferred the honour for the years 2009-10, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Ratna Chotrani