Locals seek treatment in India

and other treatments.
It costs almost US$200 000 for a heart surgery in Zimbabwe, while in India the same surgery costs between US$3 000 and US$10 000.
Heart surgery in South Africa costs around US$143 000.
Indian Embassy first secretary Mr Rakshpaul Malhotra said last week that between five and six local patients travel to India for surgery and a wide variety of other treatments every month.
“Although the figure is not high, Zimbabweans and other foreigners are seeking treatment in India,” he said.
“Every month, an average of five or six people apply for medical visas to travel to India to seek treatment.” Mr Malhotra said people sought treatment in India because hospitals there offered cheap, but high quality medical services.
He said patients from developed countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States were also seeking treatment from India.
Some medical aid societies are also deliberately referring patients to India because they find it cheaper.
“If you add the costs of airfare, accommodation and food, it will still be cheaper than to have the same operation done locally,” an official from one of the medical aid societies said.
Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Council of Zimbabwe registrar Mrs Josephine Mwakutuya said they had no mandate to enforce tariffs for specialists.
“The law does not give council the responsibility or the power to determine or enforce particular tariffs chargeable by practitioners,” she said.
“Be advised that the responsibilities and powers of council are clearly stated in the governing legislation, that is the Health Professions Act.”
Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr Henry Madzorera said he could not comment on the matter.
According to EzineArticle.com, as many as 200 000 medical tourists went to India last year.
The Indian government predicts that the country’s US$17 billion a year health-care industry could grow by 13 percent in each of the next six years.