Why Kenyan Patients Choose India For Treatment?

25 June,2024

India receives around 2 million patients annually from the Middle East, Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, China, Russia, Canada, the USA, the United Kingdom, and many others. One of these countries is Kenya, which contributes to a large portion of tourists traveling to India for medical reasons.

Kenya and India have a rich history of economic, cultural, and diplomatic relations, with Kenya being India's third-largest trading partner. Kenyans have been taking leisure trips to India and vice versa for many years. However, the early 2000s saw an increase in the number of Kenyans traveling to India to avail themselves of medical facilities. The Kenya Trade and Investment Forum in 2023 concluded that 90% of medical travel from Kenya was to India. This article explores the reasons for India's popularity among Kenyan medical tourists.

Reasons Why Kenyan Patients Prefer India

Every year, India welcomes over 10,000 patients from Kenya. This number can be justified due to the following factors - 

• Cost of Treatment: In India, Kenyan patients can find treatment for all medical conditions at a much more affordable rate. For example, a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy in Kenya must pay around KES 138,00 (USD 1400); in India, the average cost of chemotherapy is INR 18,000 (USD 215). Therefore, it becomes more cost-effective for Kenyans to come to India to seek treatment. Also, the cost of treatment in India is quite reasonable compared to other developed countries.
• Service Quality and Infrastructure: India boasts of quality infrastructure when it comes to healthcare, and the availability of state-of-the-art technology is the norm. This results in raising the standards of service provided at international levels. Cutting-edge treatment procedures, the latest innovations, and modern medicine are employed to diagnose and treat various diseases accurately, causing Kenyan patients to favor India over other nations.
• Accreditations: The best hospitals and healthcare institutions in India undergo strict scrutiny to obtain accreditations from international and national organizations such as Joint Commission International (JCI) and the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH). These organizations ensure that the medical services provided to patients are of the highest quality.
• Advanced Treatment Procedures: New-age treatment methods like robotic surgeries, assisted reproductive techniques (ART), and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) have seen excellent success rates in India. Some of these procedures may not be readily available locally in Kenya. As a result, Kenyan patients seeking these treatments come to India in large numbers.
• Skilled Medical Professionals: Doctors and other healthcare professionals in India are highly qualified and expertly trained in their respective fields. Many of them have studied in reputed international institutions as well. Their specializations and experience have made them proficient in diagnosing and treating their patients. This is another reason why Kenyans prefer traveling to India for medical treatments.

Other Common Reasons For Kenyan Patients To Prefer India

Affordability, advanced medical technologies, skilled doctors, and state-of-the-art hospitals are important factors attracting patients from Kenya to India. Additionally, there are several other reasons why Kenyan patients prefer India:

• Patient-centric Approach: Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in India are highly patient-oriented. They are trained to put the comfort and well-being of their patients above everything else. Their patient-friendly behavior and professional demeanor instill a sense of trust among the Kenyan patients visiting India. 
• Reduced Waiting Time: The doctor-patient ratio in Kenya is 0.226, which means there are 2.26 doctors for every 10,000 patients. This has caused a shortage of doctors and longer waiting times. Kenyan patients urgently need medical care and don't want to wait too long to see a doctor. Therefore, they prefer traveling to India and getting the required treatment as soon as possible.
• Convenience of Travel: Due to the geographic locations of Kenya and India, traveling between the two countries is easy and affordable. A direct flight from Nairobi to Mumbai takes a little over 6 hours. Flights are also available from major Kenyan cities to Chennai, which is considered India's medical hub. Nairobi is well connected to other Indian cities like New Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. 
• English Language Proficiency: Although India is culturally diverse, English is widely spoken. English is also one of Kenya's official languages. Thus, the patient can easily voice his concerns to the doctor, and the doctor can administer the treatment effectively. The communication gap is bridged, and the doctor-patient relationship is improved, making the patient feel more comfortable in a foreign country.
• Word-of-mouth Publicity: Patients who have had a positive experience with the Indian healthcare system share it with their acquaintances, encouraging more patients to seek treatment in India.

Common Treatments and Procedures Opted by Kenyan Patients

According to a report by the Ministry of Health of Kenya, between 2015 and 2020, 52% of the patients who traveled to India for treatment were males, and 48% were females. The patients' ages also varied; the youngest was just four days old, and the oldest was 86 years old. The patients came from all over Kenya, most of them from Nairobi, and others from Kiambu, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu County, etc.

Kenyans have sought a variety of treatments for numerous disorders in India. The most common disorder was cancer, accounting for 36% of patients. 19% of patients suffered from cardiovascular disease, 13% of patients had musculoskeletal conditions, 12% of them had renal disorders, and 9% suffered from disorders of the central nervous system.

Around 22% of Kenyans have come to India for a second opinion. 17% came to get a PET scan and other diagnostic procedures, 9.5% sought a stem cell transplant, and 3.9% came for radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Some of the most common specialties opted by Kenyan patients in India are - 

• Cardiology: Kenyan patients often seek treatment procedures for cardiac disorders, including angioplasties, bypass surgeries, and pacemaker implantation. Several hospitals in India also offer advanced cardiac procedures, such as robot-assisted cardiac care and minimally invasive cardiac surgeries.
• Orthopedics: Kenyan patients travel to India for orthopedic procedures like spinal surgeries, joint replacements, and arthroscopy. The latest techniques, such as robotic and computer-assisted surgeries and 3D-printed and customized implants, are also available.
• Oncology: Several Indian healthcare institutions are the leading centers for cancer treatment, where patients can undergo chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy procedures, along with new-age procedures such as targeted therapy, photodynamic therapy, and hyperthermia.
• Neurology: Patients travel to India from Kenya to get treated for neurological disorders. These treatments include stroke rehabilitation, brain surgeries, epilepsy surgeries, and modern procedures such as cyberknife surgeries, gamma knife surgeries, and stereotactic radiosurgery.
• Cosmetic Surgery: Cosmetic surgery is a booming field in India, with patients traveling to avail procedures such as facelifts, liposuctions, and breast augmentations. Surgical procedures using the latest techniques, such as 3D imaging, printing, and regenerative medicine, are also commonly performed in Indian hospitals.
• Gynecology and Fertility Treatments: Fertility treatments like assisted reproductive techniques (ART) and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) have flourished in India, and Kenyan patients looking to start their family travel to India to benefit from them.

Top Hospitals in India for Kenyan Patients

India has 50+ JCI-accredited hospitals, which are amongst the top choices for patients coming from Kenya. Some of these hospitals are: 

• Fortis Hospital, Noida
• Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon
• Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai
• Apollo Cancer Centre, Teynampet, Chennai
• Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali, Ghaziabad
• Amrita Hospital, Faridabad

Medical Visa Requirements and Procedure for Kenyan Citizens

Kenyan citizens who wish to travel to India for medical reasons are granted an electronic visa, known as eMedical Visa for India. Citizens can apply for this visa online and are not required to visit the Indian Embassy. The visa is granted only to the patient seeking treatment. Their family members have to apply for a separate visa, known as the eMedical Attendant Visa.

The requirements to apply for this visa are - 

• Passport validity of 6 months at the time of entry into India
• A scanned color copy of the first page of the current passport
• A recent passport-sized colored photo
• A copy of the letter from the concerned hospital in India on its official letterhead
• Answer questions concerning the hospital to be visited in India

The eMedical visa allows the following benefits to its holder - 

• Triple entry
• Stay up to a total of 60 days
• Entry into India from any of 30 different airports and five seaports
• Exit from India from any of the approved Immigration Check Points (ICPs)

Some things to keep in mind regarding the eMedical visa - 

• The visa is non-cancellable, non-transferable, and non-extendable.
• Patients can apply for a second visa if more than three visits are required.
• Applicants may be asked for evidence of adequate funds to support themselves in India.
• The visa does not grant entry in protected, restricted, or military cantonment areas.
• If the passport expires in less than six months, renewal is necessary.
• Two blank pages in the passport are required for the immigration officer to put a stamp for departure.
• Entry via road is prohibited; only air and cruise entry is permitted.

Payment Procedure

• Visa applicants can pay for their visa through a cheque, debit card, credit card, or PayPal account.

Conclusion

Over the years, India has emerged as a powerhouse in medical tourism, and Kenya is one of its most significant contributors. Some reasons for this include affordable treatment options, high quality of service and infrastructure, advanced treatment options, expert medical professionals, and a patient-centric approach. As relations between Kenya and India strengthen, the number of patients benefiting from medical tourism will also increase.

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