For decades, India was a popular destination for Bangladeshi medical tourists, due to its geographical proximity, affordable healthcare services. Bangladesh contributes a large portion (around 50-60%) of India's medical tourism inflow, making it the primary source of international patients for many Indian hospitals.
According to data from India's tourism ministry, around 2.5 million medical tourists travel to India from Bangladesh every year, spending about $500 million on healthcare. However, recent diplomatic tensions and rising anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh have changed the medical tourism landscape.
Reports suggest a substantial fall of Bangladeshi medical tourists to India, with a simultaneous surge in their choice for Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. In this direction, Bangladesh is focusing on China's medical tourism offers, side lining India's once-dominant position in the field. This shift demonstrates how geopolitical sentiments impact individual choices, even in healthcare.
Factors affected India's medical tourism
Since late August 2024, the number of patients from Bangladesh has gone down by 80 percent in India. Due to the diminished footfall, the Indian government, hospitals, and medical tourism-related companies have been losing billions of rupees. Based on a report in the Indian newspaper "Ei Samay," private hospitals in Kolkata are experiencing a significant loss in revenue, estimated between Rs 12-21 lakh per week on average, a serious blow to India’s $9 bn worth of medical tourism industry.
Political and diplomatic tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi have played a key role in this shift. Anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh erupted last year, just after the January 7 elections. Most Bangladeshis, regardless of party affiliation, supported the "India Out" movement. Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5, the bilateral relationship formally deteriorated due to massive flooding caused by the release of waters from an Indian dam in Tripura, alleged attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, and vandalism of a Bangladeshi diplomatic mission in India. Amid spiralling tensions, India severely restricted visa processing for Bangladeshis, causing significant complications for patients who are unable to attend follow-up visits or schedule new ones in the neighboring country.
Visa delays, stricter regulations, and the perception of an unwelcoming environment in India have pushed Bangladeshi patients to seek friendlier options. In addition, strained diplomatic ties fueled by alleged political interference, river disputes, border tension, and Indian media indoctrination on communal issues have influenced Bangladeshis to reconsider their medical travel destinations. Not only that, a class of hoteliers in India declared they would stop their hotel services for Bangladeshis. At the same time, a class of doctors has announced that they will no longer treat Bangladeshi citizens. Even a group of Indian protesters obstructed the import-export activities at the border land port. These incidents have caused frustration and anger among Bangladeshis. India's rigorous visa policy for Bangladeshis cost it not only money but also its geopolitical stature in South Asia. To retain its foothold, India must address concerns regarding political issues, bolster its healthcare diplomacy, and step-up diplomatic efforts to regain the trust of Bangladeshi patients.
China's entry: New Dimension
China is actively promoting medical tourism for Bangladeshi patients, offering potentially high-quality treatments at affordable costs compared to other international options like the US, UK, Japan, and Singapore. Events such as the "Nihao! China" Conference in Dhaka were a bold step toward strengthening links between Bangladesh and China in the rapidly increasing medical tourism business. The event, hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh and organised by the Bangladesh Belt and Road Chinese Language and Culture Center, showcased China’s sincere desire to deliver Chinese medical services to Bangladeshis. The conference presented various travel packages, including health check-up tours, wellness retreats, and traditional Chinese medicine experiences available through key cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, and Kunming, signaling China’s readiness to serve medical tourists from Bangladesh. The event’s robust participation of government officials from both countries underscores the potential for collaboration between the two nations in medical tourism.
Moreover, Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain's recent visit to China (January 22-24) provided momentum to expand bilateral cooperation in public health. During the visit, at Bangladesh's request, China designated three top-rated hospitals in Yunnan province to serve Bangladeshi patients: The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, and the Fuwai Yunnan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. With affordable prices and cutting-edge medical facilities, Kunming may be a better option for Bangladeshi patients than India, according to a foreign adviser. It is worth noting that China's Kunming region is geographically closer to Bangladesh than many Indian medical hubs, making travel easier. It only takes two and a half hours to fly from Dhaka to Kunming.
While China has developed its healthcare system, language and cultural differences might pose challenges for Bangladeshi patients compared to India, where there are strong cultural and linguistic similarities. To facilitate medical tourism, both China and Bangladesh should work to improve medical service mechanisms, including streamlining visa procedures, clarifying treatment processes, and establishing translation teams. China, as a friendly country, should reduce the visa fee and ensure an urgent medical visa within one day.
China has invested significantly in developing modern medical facilities and established a reputation as one of Asia's best health tourism destinations. While Indian healthcare practitioners excel in clinical competence, they may lack the comprehensive cultural and diplomatic approach that China has included in its policy. Chinese cities like Kunming are being promoted as medical tourism hubs, providing a combination of quality healthcare and tourism opportunities. Chinese cities are renowned for their TCM practices, which can be an additional draw for Bangladeshi patients interested in exploring alternative therapies.
China also expressed willingness to collaborate with Bangladesh on medical cooperation, including establishing a thousand-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship Hospital in Dhaka, the first friendship hospital of the two countries. The world-class hospital will be built with Chinese funding and run by Chinese specialists. It is worth mentioning that given the high volume of Bangladeshi patients traveling to India, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have previously proposed building international standard hospital in the country, akin to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth and Bangkok's Bamrudgrad. But the then Hasina government rejected the proposals in order to maintain India's monopoly on medical industry. In the new situation, if Bangladesh develops hospital projects, it will be a boon to the country, saving a major chunk of the $5 billion that Bangladeshis spend each year on medical care overseas.
While Bangladesh-China healthcare diplomacy is set to expand, the shift presents challenges for India in maintaining its dominant position in medical tourism. India should reconsider its regional approach in light of Bangladesh's growing emphasis on China for medical tourism. Similarly, to consolidate its gains, China needs strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure and to foster bilateral relations with Bangladesh to further solidify its reputation as a trusted healthcare destination. Above all, India's unexpected visa restrictions and Bangladesh's shift to China for medical service should act as a wake-up call for the country to enhance its domestic healthcare system and regain the trust of its patients.
Written by Tanim Jasim
*Assistant Professor, Department of Bangla, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
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