IRCTC will also help Bangladeshi patients who travel to India for treatment
Singapore: In a bid to further promote and give a boost to India's burgeoning medical tourism sector, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has ventured into medical tourism in a big way.
As per reports by a leading Indian daily, the country's Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) is targeting people from Kolkata, Guwahati and other parts of eastern and northeastern India who need to travel to the south for treatment. It will also help Bangladeshi patients who travel to India for treatment.
Mr Debashis Chandra, group general manager, IRCTC, East Zone, said, "Many from the eastern and northeastern parts of the country travel to Vellore and other parts of south India for treatment. Many of them are senior citizens who live alone. In some cases, their children live abroad and can't travel to India at short notice. We take care of all their needs. We have a dedicated cell for such people. Once we know where they want to receive treatment, we get in touch with the hospital through our own channels and fix up appointments with doctors. We then arrange for tickets for the patients and relatives. In case, they wish to travel by air, we arrange for flight tickets as well."
IRCTC provides all round care by taking of all meals and other necessities of patients. After treatment, IRCTC brings them back to their homes with specialized care if necessary.
Mr Chandra added that as a government organization all activities are service based and not mainly profit oriented. "Proper service is crucial as we will be dealing with elderly people and those who are ill. Their demands will be different from the normal tourist. We have a dedicated team to look after their needs," he observed.
