Hyderabad to Host Global Medical Tourism Summit in June

Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha has instructed department officials to organize an international medical tourism conference in Hyderabad next June, with the goal of establishing the city as a premier destination for healthcare services worldwide.

During a Tuesday meeting at the Secretariat with representatives from both Health and Tourism departments, the Minister outlined plans to transform Hyderabad into a world-class medical tourism destination. He referenced Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's commitment to hosting such events annually.

The conference will bring together leading medical and pharmaceutical professionals from India and abroad, along with private medical tourism stakeholders. Officials have been asked to coordinate extensively with the Tourism department to ensure the event's success.

The gathering is expected to draw participants from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. As part of the event, the Minister directed officials to organize tours of Hyderabad's major healthcare facilities, including government hospitals such as NIMS, TIMS, Osmania Hospital, and Gandhi Hospital, as well as private and corporate healthcare institutions.

International Patient Services Expansion

The event coincides with broader initiatives to expand healthcare infrastructure. The Minister proposed establishing International Patient Services departments across three TIMS hospitals currently under construction in Hyderabad. Each facility will feature a dedicated 50-bed ward specifically for international patients, aimed at attracting medical tourists from India and globally.

This expansion is expected to generate additional revenue for government hospitals while simultaneously enhancing service quality for local patients and strengthening hospital operations overall.

Healthcare Workforce Expansion

Concurrent with tourism initiatives, the Medical Recruitment Board has completed the selection process for 2,322 nursing officer positions, with appointment letters scheduled for distribution on May 12, coinciding with International Nurses Day.

The Minister also reviewed ongoing recruitment efforts for Civil Assistant Surgeon Specialists, Assistant Professors, Pharmacists, and Multi-Purpose Health Assistants. Officials indicated that the assistant professor recruitment process would be finalized by May 15, while legal obstacles affecting other recruitment drives are being addressed.

Over the past two years, the government has filled approximately 12,650 healthcare positions. Completing the remaining recruitment vacancies is expected to further strengthen the state's healthcare service delivery.