Middle East conflict hits India's medical tourism as hospitals report sharp fall in foreign patients

Leading Indian hospitals have reported a sharp decline in overseas patient arrivals over the past two weeks as the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted travel and affected medical tourism.

Major healthcare providers, including Fortis Healthcare, Artemis Hospitals and Marengo Asia Hospitals, said international patient flows have fallen between 50 and 75% in the past fortnight, largely due to a drop in arrivals from the Middle East.

Hospital executives said the decline is already affecting revenue and could worsen if the conflict continues.

According to Fortis Healthcare, the impact on overall revenue for the current month could be in the range of 15 to 20%. Other hospital chains have reported similar estimates.

Hospitals in India have traditionally received a large number of medical tourists from countries such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. These markets have been key contributors to corporate hospital networks, including Max Healthcare, Fortis Healthcare, Apollo Hospitals and Manipal Hospitals.

Reports from Fortis Healthcare, Marengo Asia Hospital, Apollo Hospitals, and Arthemis Hospital have all expressed concern that the overall revenue impact of international medical tourism is declining since the conflict began. 

Furthermore, they claim that airspace closures, suspended flights and rising airfare have created major obstacles for international patients to travel to India for treatment.

Some hospital executives reportedly said new patient registrations from the Middle East had fallen to almost zero in recent days.

As per reports, patients travelling from the region to India typically seek specialised treatments such as organ transplants, cardiac procedures, neurology care, oncology and urology. However, worsening conditions in their home countries have led many to postpone elective procedures, including implants, cosmetic surgeries and geriatric treatments.

Nearly 80% of such patients usually reportedly suffer from advanced medical conditions, adding that plastic surgery and geriatric care were among the most affected specialities.

Hospitals are now looking to diversify their international patient base by focusing on markets in Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia.

Although, as per reports, the next few weeks will be critical in determining whether conditions stabilise and international travel begins to normalise, as medical tourism typically takes two to three months to recover following major geopolitical disruptions.