BREAKING NEWS: India-Bangladesh Visa Crisis Takes a Toll on Medical Tourism
BREAKING NEWS: India-Bangladesh Visa Crisis Takes a Toll on Medical Tourism
New Delhi, January 16, 2025 – The ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Bangladesh over visa restrictions is taking a severe toll on the booming medical tourism industry in both countries, with patients facing unprecedented delays and cancellations for vital medical treatments.
- For decades, India has been a preferred destination for medical tourists, particularly from neighboring Bangladesh, due to its world-class healthcare services at affordable prices. Hospitals in cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai have attracted thousands of patients annually, seeking treatments ranging from cancer therapies to cardiac surgeries, organ transplants, and fertility treatments. However, in the wake of recent visa complications between the two countries, this vital flow of patients has drastically slowed down.
Reports suggest that Bangladesh has introduced stricter visa policies for its citizens traveling to India, citing security concerns and heightened scrutiny at border crossings. At the same time, India has placed similar restrictions on Bangladeshi nationals applying for medical visas, further complicating the already challenging application process.
“We have seen a dramatic fall in the number of Bangladeshi patients seeking treatment here,” said Dr. Ramesh Verma, the chief surgeon at a leading hospital in Kolkata. “In some cases, entire surgeries have been postponed or canceled because patients cannot get visas in time. This is deeply distressing for both patients and the healthcare providers who are accustomed to treating them.”
Patients are now left in limbo, with many having to delay life-saving treatments or turn to less reliable medical options in neighboring countries, such as Thailand or Singapore, where medical costs are significantly higher. The ripple effect is being felt across the healthcare sector, from diagnostic centers and pharmaceutical companies to ancillary services like rehabilitation and nursing care.
Rohit Soni, an executive at a major Indian hospital chain, expressed concerns over the long-term impact of this crisis on the medical tourism industry, which has been a crucial source of revenue for the country’s healthcare sector. “We have been forced to cut down on staff and resources dedicated to international patients, as the volume of foreign medical tourists has reduced significantly
