JC in India

Medical

India has a good reputation for medical tourism, with people from less developed nations visiting the country to receive a range of treatments. It is also generally affordable versus more ‘western’ prices. There are numerous smaller doctor or dental surgeries in various communities to choose from, and while I thankfully have not personally needed to visit any in a time of urgent need, my understanding from others is of a high standard of service, as good as would be expected anywhere else.

The best advice therefore is to know and plan in advance what you would do in the event of need, instead of finding yourself in an emergency and having to sort this out under duress.

Identify a good doctors surgery and go and have a check-up and register with them. Likewise, a dentist. That way you are on the books and have somewhere to turn in event of need. In terms of emergency the 999 / 911 ambulance service is a little different in India and often specific hospitals will have their own ambulances and need to be called directly in that way. That said there is a ‘102’ emergency number which will connect you to a local ambulance in a real emergency, but I hear it is best to know in advance which hospital you would prefer to attend, and ensure you have their number to hand. Also, ambulances are chargeable in India, and costs can go up to a published maximum of 6,000 INR.

Additionally, there is an industry in preventative medicine in India. It is quite common for people to undertake routine health checks, with a range of companies brokering such services with a menu of options. A quick google search will open the door to a few, and it is worth researching options if this is of interest. These main brokers (the one I used was medibuddy.in), will outlet for a range of local clinics that will perform such tests. My experience was of a full health check for around 4,000 INR with blood tests, x-rays, scans, and other prodding all of which resulted in a comprehensive medical report. This report however did not come with any interpretation or follow up, so hence the recommendation of having a local doctor to whom you can take the report afterwards and discuss anything of concern.

Overall, India is well equipped in this field. The key is to do your specific homework in advance and set things up to be prepared. But this is easy and if needed, the system will work well.