Thai hospital opens dedicated clinic for LGBTQ medical patients
Bumrungrad taps into minority group for specialised services
India to re-energise health tourism promotion
Country charts post-pandemic course to raise the attention of its domestic healthcare providers
In a bid to refocus its efforts on promoting India as a medical tourism destination , the country ’ s Ministry of Tourism has set up a board to oversee a new strategy to develop the segment .
The government has also introduced medical visas along with an e-medical visa for 1�� countries as part of its new policy . Yoga and ayurveda tourism will also be promoted , along with other alternative forms of medicine officially recognised by the country .
Chaired by the tourism minister , the board will act as an umbrella body for promoting Indian healthcare to overseas patients “ in an organised manner ”.
The draft National Strategy and �oadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism was devised by the tourism ministry following feedback from other ministries , state governments , and healthcare industry stakeholders .
The ministry is also distributing brochures and other material to increase publicity about medical tourism to its intended markets . In addition , platforms such as World Travel Mart in London , the Arabian Travel Mart , and IT� �erlin will be used to specifically promote this agenda .
The initiative comes after India ’ s second wave of pandemic overburdened the healthcare system and put on ice the country ’ s plans to promote its expertise in healthcare .
Tourism authorities believe India ’ s strength in age-old alternative medicine practices will attract a large number of arrivals to the point that other countries cannot compete with it . Ayurveda , in particular , they say , has been gaining in worldwide popularity and recognition for its origins on the subcontinent .
Bumrungrad International Hospital in �angkok has launched a clinic for gay , lesbian , and transgender patients , bringing together its specialised services catering to this minority demographic .
The high-end private hospital ’ s new Pride Clinic will offer gender confirmation surgery , hormone treatments , cosmetic surgery , and health checkups . These services had previously been spread across a number of facilities .
The clinic aims to tap into demand from the L��T� market , which is largely made up of double-income households with no children and has a relatively high spending power . Thailand moved last year to legalise same-sex unions and markets itself as welcoming to L��T� visitors .
While the country is known as a medical tourism destination , health centres specifically for L��T� people remain rare . �umrungrad anticipates the arrival of patients from China , Southeast Asia , and the Middle East for its L��T� services .
�y providing services from medical professionals , the hospital hopes to help people avoid potentially harmful alternatives , such as self-administering hormones .
Thailand has at least four million L��T� people , according to �umrungrad . The global L��T� population has been estimated at more than 400 million .
�umrungrad International Hospital is a �CIaccredited , multi-specialty hospital located in the heart of �angkok and is one of the largest private hospitals in Southeast Asia , with 5�0 beds and over 30 specialty centres . Prior to the pandemic , more than �20,000 international patients from over 190 nations had visited the hospital annually .
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com AUGUST 2021
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