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Monday, July 14, 2008

GNRC is all set to promote Medical Tourism in Guwahati, Assam

The GNRC (Guwahati Neurological Research Centre) has decided to promote medical tourism in the the North-East region to attract foreign tourists from the Asian neighbouring countries. “Since the private hospitals across the country are taking initiative to promote the medical tourism, we have decided to take the lead here. We will soon discuss with other top private hospitals offering latest medical facilities and other related agencies to chalk out a plan to promote Guwahati as a hub of medical tourism,” GNRC official Manoj Kumar Deka said here at press conference. We will soon devise a coordinated strategy after consultation with other top hospitals, travels agents, hotels as well as government agencies to attract tourists not only for tourism purposes but also to avail the latest but low-cost medical treatment facilities here.

“The hospitals here offer all the latest medical facilities like joint replacement surgery, heart surgery, cosmetic and obesity surgery, angioplasty and others. What we require is extensive publicity and co-ordination among hospitals, hotels, travel agents and government agencies.” Deka said. He also said though it is located near the South East Asian countries and have a huge tourism potential, the region is still way behind in attracting tourists for medical purposes due to lack of well organized publicity and co-ordination among the concerned agencies.

The GNRC will try to provide all hotels with information regarding medical facilities available; update tourism websites with medical tourism information and others. Patients from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have already visiting Guwahati for medical tourism purposes and there is enough potential to attract more tourists, Mr. Deka said.