bhopal: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said India is providing the most affordable medical facilities in the world and people from abroad, especially the neighbouring nations, visit the hospitals in the country to avail the health care services.
He also said that India is fast emerging as a medical tourism hub.
"India has the cheapest medical facilities in the world and in the hospitals, especially in Delhi, people from neighbouring countries are found getting treatment more than the local patients," Kovind said after inaugurating 'Arogya Manthan', a conference on the topic 'One Nation, One Health System' organised by RSS-backed Arogya Bharati here.
Referring to the coronavirus pandemic, Kovind said a disease started plaguing the humanity two-and-a-half years back. "Only one or two per cent people remained unaffected by it," he said.
He praised the country's scientists and doctors for their efforts in developing a vaccine against COVID-19 that saved the lives of people.
"Hundred years back, when a pandemic broke out, it killed crores of people at one go. But the situation has now changed with the development of vaccines," the president added.
President Ram Nath Kovind said that during his recent visit to Jamaica and Saint Vincent, he participated in eight functions wherein the leaders of those countries praised India for providing anti-coronavirus vaccines to them in the hour of need.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided 50,000 Covishield vaccine doses each to Jamaica and St Vincent free of cost. The top leaders of both the countries did not get tired of praising India for its humanitarian gesture," he said.
President Kovind said that while he focused on enhancing the bilateral ties between India and the countries he visited, the leaders there were more interested in knowing about India's medical facilities.
"India is fast emerging as a hub of medical tourism, where health care facilities and institutional treatment are available easily," he said.
"It is also the aim of this policy to arrange health facilities for all in a comprehensive and holistic manner. To achieve these goals, cooperation of all sections of the society, especially the aware citizens, along with the participation of government and private sector institutions is essential," Kovind added.