Dhaka: The socio-political unrest in Bangladesh has been impacting India’s medical tourist inflow. If the situation prolongs, the total footfall from Bangladesh in India may drop by 10-15 per cent in 2024, as per reports.

Bangladesh is India’s one of the leading contributors to medical tourism among neighbouring countries and accounts for 50-60 per cent of the country’s total medical tourist inflow, said a report released on August 14.

Current internal challenges in Bangladesh have impacted the flow of medical travellers as a considerable number of them have either cancelled or postponed their visits, said reports citing the knowledge-based analytical group CareEdge Ratings.

The contribution of medical tourism to the entire Indian hospital sector is about 3-5 per cent.

Considering the drop in footfall from Bangladesh along with its gradual revival to normalcy by the end of 2024, the sector will see minimal impact, added reports.

The government's initiative to extend the e-medical visa facility to nationals from 167 countries including Bangladesh is expected to further boost medical tourism in the coming years, claimed reports.

This particularly benefits the hospitals in metro cities the most as they are prime beneficiaries of international patient flow, said the report adding that nearly 70-80 per cent of medical tourists arriving in India are from Bangladesh and Middle East countries.

The hospital sector in India was valued at around RS 5.8 lac crore in FY23, with an anticipated annual growth rate of 12 per cent over the next three years. Each year, an estimated 3 to 3.5 lac individuals from Bangladesh seek medical treatment in India, concluded reports.