INDIAN CULTURE AND HERITAGE

However, the new branch reproductive tourism is catching up in the State, with couples desperate to have a baby availing of facilities at some of the in vitro fertilisation clinics at different centres in the State.

In recent years the term reproductive tourism has been increasingly used to refer to couples traveling from their country of residence to another in order to receive specific fertility treatment not allowed or not available in their own country.

A trend has been noticed of infertile couples in the West employing Indian women as surrogates. The Indian Council of Medical Research estimates it could become a $6-billion-a-year industry.

Says K G Madhavan Pillai, an IVF expert: "There is too much infertility business around today and patients are paying huge sums of money just to have a child. Kerala, with its rich natural ambience and sophisticated medical care at moderate prices, is ideally located to receive couples coming for fertility treatment.

Women are travelling to the Ukraine, Greece, Russia or India for cheaper treatment and to find egg donors. Even within the European Union, however, a legal patchwork of fertility legislation allows couples to shop for a country which allows the treatment they need.

This and other latest trends in medical tourism would be part of brain-storming sessions at the second Kerala Health Tourism (KTH) 2007 fair, jointly organised by Kerala Tourism and the State chapter of Confederation of Indian Industry, in the port city of Kochi from March 23 to 26.

Honchos of various leading hospitals have forecast that by 2010, the number of tourists arriving in the State, to avail relatively cheaper but good quality medical services, would be 100,000 as against 16,000 last year, mainly because of prohibitive costs and the long wait for services in foreign countries.

KHT chairman Philip Augustine told reporters here on Wednesday that leading insurance firms, tour operators, medical tourism planners and third-party administrators would discuss with hospitals issues to be addressed from a global perspective.

The fair expects more than 100 exhibitors, including leading hospitals, private clinics, medical bodies, private clinics and spas, to take part.

Kerala Government has asked Investment Consulting Research Agency (ICRA) to prepare a report on Kerala's potential in medical tourism. Hospitals are in the process of obtaining accreditation though most hospitals have MoUs with insurance companies.

Kerala attracts medical tourists from the Gulf, Maldives and the UK. With proper marketing, the State could lure tourists from all parts of Europe, the US and Africa considering the quality of health infrastructure and medical personnel in the State, said Dr Augustine.

Among those who addressed the press conference were neurosurgeon Marthanda Pillai and Sudhakaran Jairam from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre.