Kolkata Hospitals Rush Liaison Teams to Bangladesh as Medical Tourism Plummets.

Concerned about a sudden decline in medical tourism, several Kolkata hospitals have decided to send liaison teams to Bangladesh in the coming weeks. The teams will meet patients and their family members directly and advise them to stay at safe hotels with all necessary legal and fire-safety clearances. Kolkata hospitals are also negotiating with nearby hotels and guest houses to ease accommodation difficulties for patients. The Times of India reported the development.

Recently, nine people died in a major fire at a guest house on Free School Street in Kolkata, seven of whom were Bangladeshi citizens. Following the incident, authorities launched a crackdown on budget hotels in Kolkata. Later, the Bangladesh High Commission issued an advisory urging people travelling to Kolkata for medical treatment or tourism to ensure, before starting their journey, that they had booked rooms at legally approved and safe hotels.

Hospitals to Help Patients Book Safe Accommodation

Hospital authorities believe many Bangladeshi patients may find it somewhat difficult to comply with the advisory. Many travel by road to seek affordable medical treatment and stay at budget hotels, which can sometimes lead them to unsafe guest houses.

To address the situation, a delegation from BP Poddar Hospital will visit Bangladesh next week. The hospital is also developing safe accommodation for Bangladeshi patients near its facility in south Kolkata.

Supriya Chakraborty, group adviser of the hospital, said, “Our aim is to make patients’ medical journeys easier and hassle-free. For this, we are supporting accommodation facilities near the hospital. Safety is our top priority, so we are developing a dedicated accommodation centre with its own round-the-clock security, which will open very soon.”

Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital is also planning to send a team to Bangladesh. It has already reached agreements with several guest houses and hotels in the Alipore area.

Rupak Barua, CEO of Woodlands and president of the Association of Hospitals of Eastern India (AHEI), said, “We want to create awareness among them about staying at safe hotels. We are sending lists of safe hotels in the Alipore area to patients scheduled to arrive within the next two weeks so that they can make advance bookings in line with the High Commission’s advisory. Many have already sought our assistance with bookings.”

Ruby General Hospital has also opened a special desk for Bangladeshi patients. Shubhashis Dutta, chief general manager of operations at the hospital, said, “We have already prepared a list of safe accommodation facilities and started contacting them, while helping patients make advance bookings.”

Bangladeshi patients require medical visas for hospital admissions, but outpatient department (OPD) patients do not need one. Emergency patients can also receive visas quickly. Barua added, “However, those who receive long-term treatment through OPDs need to stay in hotels for extended periods. Many also combine their treatment with sightseeing, making safe accommodation particularly important for them.”

Meanwhile, Desun Hospital’s international cell has also started arranging safe accommodation for foreign patients.

Sajal Dutta, chairman and managing director of Desun Hospital, said, “The main purpose of the Bangladesh High Commission’s advisory is to ensure that patients plan ahead and stay in safe and convenient places. Although it may create some caution temporarily, I do not think it will have any major negative impact on medical tourism overall. Our main goal is to ensure safe and seamless services for patients from their arrival until they recover and return home.”