Reduced Footfall of Medical Tourists from Bangladesh due to Travel Disruptions

Kolkata: The influx of medical tourists from Bangladesh to Kolkata has drastically decreased in recent weeks due to travel disruptions caused by the unstable situation in the neighboring country.

According to private hospitals in the city, around 80% to 90% fewer Bangladeshi patients have been visiting their facilities in the last fortnight. This significant decline is causing a substantial revenue loss of 10%-15% for several hospitals that normally receive a large number of Bangladeshi patients each month.

"More than 80% of our Bangladesi patients used to visit us until September, but the figure has now dropped significantly," said Rupak Barua, CEO of Woodlands Hospital. "Many of them have shifted their preference to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Singapore; if this trend continues, more will move away from Kolkata."

Data from the hospitals reveal a notable decline in medical visas issued to Bangladeshi patients. For instance, around 800 medical visa approvals were used to be issued daily till August, but it has dropped to just 800 for the entire month of September so far.

RN Tagore Hospital, a unit of Narayana Hospitals, witnessed a significant decrease in patient inflow from Bangladesh. "Fewer than 80 Bangladeshi patients visit us now compared to around 250 per day at this hospital eight months ago," said R Venkatesh, Narayana Hospitals COO.

Industry experts attribute the decline to deteriorating relations between India and Bangladesh that have been further exacerbated by recent disruptions. "If these issues persist, we will lose Bangladesi patients to Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, which already offer a range of attractive healthcare options," said Prashant Sharma, chairman of Indian Chamber of Commerce health task force.

Hospitals such as Desun Hospital, BP Poddar, and Peerless are also experiencing reduced patient inflow from Bangladesh. "We've seen no Bangladesi patients admitted to our hospital in recent weeks, down from around 40 at the OPD," said Sudipta Mitra, CEO of Peerless.

While some hospitals express doubts about the long-term nature of this decline, others acknowledge that the reduced patient inflow may be a temporary setback. Only time will tell whether Kolkata's healthcare sector can regain its attractiveness as an option among medical tourists from Bangladesh.