Bahrain Princess Shaikha Noora bint Khalifa Al Khalifa visited Indiana Hospital and Heart Institute as part of Medical Value Travel (Medical Tourism) on Friday.
Higher officials from Oman and Bahrain ministries, including Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Labour were part of the team that accompanied the princess.
At a meeting arranged in the hospital, there was discussion on the possibility of associating with Indiana Hospital for the health care needs of the citizens of Oman and Bahrain. The princess spoke to the management team of the Indiana Hospital – including Managing Director and Chief Interventional Cardiologist Dr Yusuf Kumble; Chairman Dr Ali Kumble and Vice Chairman Abdul Latheef Uppala.
After the discussion, the princess confirmed that one official delegation from Bahrain Health Ministry will be sent to Indiana for final approval of the panel of the Indiana Hospital for treating government-sponsored patients at the Indiana Hospital in Mangaluru.
Badra Samaa, Al Hilal Hospital network will also become part of this medical tourism promotion of Indiana Hospital.
Abdul Latheef Uppala, MD, Badra Samaa group of Hospitals, and one of the leading entrepreneurs in Oman and Bahrain, was instrumental in bringing the delegation – including the Bahrain Princess and officials from Oman – to Indiana Hospital. Group CEO of Badra Sama Hospital, Dr Shafeeq, was also part of the discussion.
“This will be one of the milestones of medical tourism history of Indiana and Mangaluru,” said Dr Yusuf Kumble after the event.
Metro cities in India like Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai are getting many patients from different parts of the world, including the Middle-east and Africa. Mangaluru, as a Smart City, needs to take many initiatives.
Indiana Hospital is planning to offer treatment like angioplasty, by pass surgery, kidney transplant surgeries and joint replacement surgeries, to medical tourism patients other than the routine secondary care services.