Medical tourism in India is on a steady rise. Our country has become a popular choice of many patients across the globe due to our efficient, affordable and safe medical facilities. Here are five of the best success stories of foreign patients seeking medical treatment in India.
1. A bedridden Polish woman walks just after 24 hours of a spinal surgery
It started with a slight backache, but things became much worse with time for a 60-year-old woman from Poland. With treatments showing no positive effect, she was bedridden for almost five months. She had almost accepted her painful fate when she made the decision to come to India.
Dr. Rajkumar, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore came to her rescue. Easing her insecurities about undergoing spinal surgery, the doctor assured her about the benefits which eventually convinced her. She underwent a spinal fusion surgery which eliminated any movement in her bones. The surgery was a great success and she could not believe that she was up and walking after just 24 hours. Her pain is long gone, and she is confident that she can carry on with her normal life here on.
2. Bone reconstruction surgery allows a young patient from Yemen to walk again
A young man from Yemen had his leg severely injured in a gunfight at the age of 28. Doctors in Yemen could not provide him with the correct treatment, which included the removal of pellets from the bone as well as its reconstruction. His friend in Bangalore suggested him to seek treatment in India.
The 28-year-old was operated upon by a team of orthopedic surgeons led by Dr. Hulse of Fortis Hospital, Bangalore. This highly complex surgery of four hours reconstructed his lower limb with the help of massive bone grafts. After a successful surgery, he was mobilized within 4 days. His wounds healed in 10 days and were able to walk normally within 3 months.
3. Ayurvedic treatment treats the auto-immune disorder of a Latvian woman
A 22-year-old young lady, from Latvia, was affected with an autoimmune disorder – RA +ve and HLA – B 27 +ve. It started with knee pain at the age of 10, which gradually spread to multiple joints. She was treated with disease-modifying drugs and steroids that made her obese and weak. She also developed pyelonephritis later on. She came to India seeking Ayurvedic treatment for her disorder.
At Pattarumadom Clinic & Ayurveda Nursing Home, Cochin, her first course of treatment lasted for a few days. Treatment included internal medications as well as external therapies. When the symptoms reduced significantly, she returned to Latvia. Her follow-up medication rendered her completely free of any symptoms after 6 months. She finished her 2nd and 3rd course of treatment as prescribed and is currently living a healthier and happier life than before.
4. An Iraqi boy with a rare heart condition is treated at Mumbai
A seven-year-old boy was born as a blue baby. He suffered all his life with weak limbs and low oxygen levels due to a condition called “hole in the heart.” Doctors refused to treat the boy who weighed only 12 kgs. His family then flew to India, where Dr. Abdul Rasheed from Asian Heart Institute (AHI), Mumbai, realized that he had been misdiagnosed from the start.
His aorta and pulmonary artery were in reverse position i.e. the aorta was carrying and supplying deoxygenated blood instead of oxygenated blood to the entire body. As a result, he had a bluish tint to his skin. While a normal person’s blood oxygen levels are about 94%, his levels were barely 30%. He underwent successful open-heart surgery at AHI and also his kidney stone which had originated due to low oxygen levels were removed from the body.
5. A one-year-old Mauritian boy is given the gift of life.
A Mauritian boy was born with a rare auto-immune disease called Immune Dysregulation Polyendocrinopathy Enteropathy X-linked Syndrome [IPEX]. This disease occurs due to genetic mutations, and its symptoms include hypothyroidism, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia. It is rapidly fatal, but the use of Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) can be an effective cure provided it is performed before severe autoimmunity develops.
Apollo Hospital, Chennai imported a well-matched cord blood unit from New York. These new cells were administered to this boy and he was supported with it for the whole time until the new cells completely replaced his existing immune system. An expert multidisciplinary team consisting of pediatric intensivists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, infectious disease specialists, dermatologists and a team of dedicated nurses worked for 8 weeks to stabilize him. Over a short period of time, he had recovered fully and could now talk, walk and eat new food every day. He is freed from the risk of infections!
REFERENCE
Success stories. Available from: http://www.indiahealthcaretourism.com/casestudy.php (As accessed on 14th Oct.2019).