U.S. Department of Commerce plans visit to India

From Business Standard: Medical trade mission to come to India in March 2010

The US Department of Commerce plans to take a ‘Medical Trade Mission’, comprising top American medical and healthcare industry manufacturers, to India in March 2010, targetting a major chunk of the fast expanding Indian health care market.

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During their week-long trip to India, the members of the mission would also participate in the ‘Medical Fair India’, one of the largest medical trade shows in India.

The article goes on to say that “experts” predict the Indian healthcare market to grow from $35 billion today to $75 billion by 2012, driven by the rising middle-class and medical tourism.

No doubt there is growth domestically.  Indian IT professionals are overworked, burdened by hectic schedules and making poor lifestyle choices along the way (smoking, eating fast foods).  See the following article from ZDNET: India outsourcing workers stressed to the limit

The outsourcing industry has long been hailed as a key driver to India’s rise as a global economic power. Now, that growth is beginning to take its toll on its workers who labour for long hours in stressful work environments to meet tight deadlines for customers thousands of miles away.

Workers are suffering from obesity, sleep disorders, depression and broken relationships – problems which can lead to more serious conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. In a country where a public healthcare system is virtually non-existent, overworked outsourcing employees could present a health crisis in the making.

As for the rise of medical tourism, see Damjan’s previous post: Deloitte’s Medical Tourism Fallacy.  All in all, although there is growth in India’s medical sector, finding accurate growth figures is nearly impossible.
Other interesting statistics (again by experts but interesting nonetheless):

Most Indian healthcare facilities use imported medical equipment for diagnosis, treatment and surgery with over 35 per cent of the imports coming from the US. New specialty and super-specialty hospitals depend on import of high-end medical equipment for over 65 per cent of their needs, and this sector is growing at a rate of 15 per cent annually.

Big numbers!