Indian Embassy in Armenia discourages Medical Tourism?
"India is hoping to expand its tourist industry Indeed, medical tourism,
where foreigners travel abroad in search of low cost, world-class medical
treatment, is gaining popularity in countries like India. The field has
such lucrative potential that Indian finance minister Jaswant Singh called
for India to become a “global health destination.”
India's National Health Policy declares that treatment of foreign patients
is legally an "export" and deemed "eligible for all fiscal incentives
extended to export earnings." Government and private sector studies in
India estimate that medical tourism could bring between $1 billion and $2
billion US into the country by 2012."
However, it seems the India Ambassador and
Consul in Armenia is completely unaware of their Country's
policy and create burdens and difficulties for Medical Tourists.
Healthcare Agency International is a partner organization of
India 's Fertility clinics where we send our Egg Donor's for USA or EU infertile
couples. Unfortunately each time visa's are requested, the fees are increased without forewarning and it becomes more and more difficult to obtain visas for the egg Donor's to travel. It is difficult to receive from the Embassy's site clear and precise answers and if called directly, they leave us on hold for up to an hour before simply disconnecting the call.
They are doing just the same when USA or EU Intended Parents proceeding with the Indian Surrogacy/IVF clinics call them in hopes of expediting the process.
As a minimum we deserve an answer and an explanation as to why the visas are delayed without reason and why this Embassy is so poorly organized that they are unable to clearly state visa costs, answer their phones or respond with efficiency.
E-mail Sent By USA Patients to Consul:
We are writing regarding our ED …... My spouse and I are flying to India
from the United States on Friday in order to pursue pregnancy via
surrogacy. XXxx .. will be our egg donor. We understand that she has
been unable to get a visa for India.
As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult technical process, as
well as stressful and emotional for both of us. If XXX cannot travel to
India to meet us there, it will make an already very difficult situation
even more challenging.
We are hoping that you can find a way to grant her a visa. We will also
try calling you during the morning on Thursday.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
XY
Patients from Europe:
We are in airport in Doha, Qatar, waiting for our transfer flight to
Mumbai.This is terrible.. We are very sad this happened but we do
understand it is without your control.
USA Patients:
We just spoke with Doctor... We would ask you to keep trying the Indian
Embassy in Armenia, appeal to their kindness. Just explain to them that
people are flying half-way around the world for this procedure and that
it would be greatly humanitarian of them if they can expedite this for
this month, since we will be in Mumbai this Saturday.
All these IP's have had their cycles delayed or cancelled this week. Why is it impossible to have a clear answer as to visa costs? Why is it impossible for the Embassy to answer Health Care International's Director calls, fax's and emails? or those of the Intended Parents? It would seem the Embassy is actively discouraging medical tourism.......
where foreigners travel abroad in search of low cost, world-class medical
treatment, is gaining popularity in countries like India. The field has
such lucrative potential that Indian finance minister Jaswant Singh called
for India to become a “global health destination.”
India's National Health Policy declares that treatment of foreign patients
is legally an "export" and deemed "eligible for all fiscal incentives
extended to export earnings." Government and private sector studies in
India estimate that medical tourism could bring between $1 billion and $2
billion US into the country by 2012."
However, it seems the India Ambassador and
Consul in Armenia is completely unaware of their Country's
policy and create burdens and difficulties for Medical Tourists.
Healthcare Agency International is a partner organization of
India 's Fertility clinics where we send our Egg Donor's for USA or EU infertile
couples. Unfortunately each time visa's are requested, the fees are increased without forewarning and it becomes more and more difficult to obtain visas for the egg Donor's to travel. It is difficult to receive from the Embassy's site clear and precise answers and if called directly, they leave us on hold for up to an hour before simply disconnecting the call.
They are doing just the same when USA or EU Intended Parents proceeding with the Indian Surrogacy/IVF clinics call them in hopes of expediting the process.
As a minimum we deserve an answer and an explanation as to why the visas are delayed without reason and why this Embassy is so poorly organized that they are unable to clearly state visa costs, answer their phones or respond with efficiency.
E-mail Sent By USA Patients to Consul:
We are writing regarding our ED …... My spouse and I are flying to India
from the United States on Friday in order to pursue pregnancy via
surrogacy. XXxx .. will be our egg donor. We understand that she has
been unable to get a visa for India.
As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult technical process, as
well as stressful and emotional for both of us. If XXX cannot travel to
India to meet us there, it will make an already very difficult situation
even more challenging.
We are hoping that you can find a way to grant her a visa. We will also
try calling you during the morning on Thursday.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
XY
Patients from Europe:
We are in airport in Doha, Qatar, waiting for our transfer flight to
Mumbai.This is terrible.. We are very sad this happened but we do
understand it is without your control.
USA Patients:
We just spoke with Doctor... We would ask you to keep trying the Indian
Embassy in Armenia, appeal to their kindness. Just explain to them that
people are flying half-way around the world for this procedure and that
it would be greatly humanitarian of them if they can expedite this for
this month, since we will be in Mumbai this Saturday.
All these IP's have had their cycles delayed or cancelled this week. Why is it impossible to have a clear answer as to visa costs? Why is it impossible for the Embassy to answer Health Care International's Director calls, fax's and emails? or those of the Intended Parents? It would seem the Embassy is actively discouraging medical tourism.......
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Nasir Mahmood on -
It is amazing that your clients are facing these type of problems. I would suggest you to make contact to the Indian Embassy on your own behalf and get proper information, I hope they will have solution of your problem. They are on sensitive jobs and some time could be possible , you or your clients could not convey original message to them . But this is not mean that you are wrong. One thing i will accept that in few countires departments have no interaction with each-other and due to their less awareness with the system you can't get desire results. Some time an individual create problem in one office and his attitude damage image of whole country-men so there could be the same problem.
Many our Indians fellows will read your comments at MTC and hopefully will take some optimistic & positive steps to resolve your issue. This is matter of their prestige and you can see many Indians are working hard at this forum. I am sure they will solve your visa probles , but i would say you must look in-to matter personally , its not a big issue and you can handle it . GOOD LUCK
Nasir Mahmood (Pakistan)
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Permalink Reply by Janine Oakman on -
Dear Nasir,
Thank you so much- I was so frustrated and we didn't know where to start to resolve this issue! Unfortunately with fertility procedures it is not just a financial loss but a lot of unnecessary trauma and disappointment for the Intended Parents . Coordinating the Intended Parents, their clinic in India and the Egg Donor from Georgia requires a lot of organisation and to have everything ultimately depend on one person at the Embassy is a major problem. Your comments are much appreciated!
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Permalink Reply by Nasir Mahmood on
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Dear Janine,
There are so many good Indian professionals can be found here at MTC but i would recommend (although they don't need my recommendation) two personalities who can help in this way.
1) Mr.Prem Jagyasi (Honourable Member of MTC)
2) Mr. A Maitra (Cool & Calm Member of MTC)
Better Luck
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Permalink Reply by Janine Oakman on
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Many Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Ashok Panda on -
Dear Janine
There are always obstacles when you start doing something good, There should not be hesitance to work harder on that to clear that , but that doesn't mean there will be other obstacles. India is a huge country and we have our own internal and external affairs problems. It would be very easy to say the Indian embassy is not interested in medical tourism. I am sure they do not want to hinder it knowingly, we need to understand what the exact problem is and why it was so, being at a diplomatic level they have to follow their own protocols, But once you establish a good channel and framework of medical tourism things would be seamless.
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Permalink Reply by Janine Oakman on
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Yes, there are always obstacles, you're right. The problem here was that they could not be reached by any medium to investigate the problem/hold-up. Rather than the entire Embassy, perhaps it is just one or two people ? Interestingly, they have now contacted ....after this was posted. Is this site really so effective ?? :)
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Permalink Reply by Nasir Mahmood on
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Dear Janine,
Of-course this is the best site for medical professionals but along with all good things , you are right we have some problems and these problems can be solved with proper interaction. When i got registration of MTC I was very happy and i received good & bad comments. I found some very good professionals and they started interaction with me and stretched my expectations on high level and at the end there was nothing for me (they are from Hungary & Spain) but i did not disclose their names and pulled my-self ahead for the other world.
No frustration .
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Permalink Reply by Mariam Kukunashvili on -
Dear Ashok
Thanks for your comment.. It seems it is very difficult to establish a good chanel. I visited Embassy in Armenia.. Explained everything to them.. They agreed and gave visas but every time different supreises,every time difficulties.. Even three days ago they responded there was no problem..Today it turned out Applications are not filled in properly and returned back us the documents.. and the day before yesterday I informed IP's that problem was solved.. ..Applications are filled it in a way how previos apllications were filled in..According to their protocol they always can give this or that reason but is seems now they just torture us because there is no dush or dot in Application. As I know there is a new consul since last year and working with them got serious problem not only for me but also for others as well.. When we deal with USA o r EU Embassies here of course sometimes they also ask for additional documents but they never ask it ten times during two month .. We present them ''this'' they request'' that or just the other way round without ending..
I agree with Nasir that Some time an individual create problem in one office and his attitude damage image of whole country-men so there could be the same problem
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Permalink Reply by Ashok Panda on
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Dear Mariam . Janine
Nice to hear from you. Medical tourism is a complex and intricate process. Now when you have identified the problem half the battle is won, There are some effective ways of keeping the red tape in to its place and having some channel ,( There are several ways of tackling the problem) Coming back to the disturbance in the schedule. the best way it to at least have a gap period of at least one week before the couples and egg donor are ready to fly and that is only after the travel documents are ready to avoid embarrassing situations and save efforts. This is a elective and non-critical non-emergency process hence should not be a problem to arrange and keep things in place and then fly.Starting a novel effort is difficult and more difficult to implement and keep it going, but I feel its worth going through this when in the end you have got the treatment done successfully. Kudos to the good work you have been doing.
Ashok
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Permalink Reply by Janine Oakman on
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Yes, 2 months prior to travel should be sufficient for visas ideally :) and once a Surrogate and an egg donor have been synchronised and started their meds, the intended parents have bought their tickets and everyone is timed to meet at the clinic in India, there is no longer room for flexibility with travel dates!
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Permalink Reply by Mariam Kukunashvili on
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Yes you are right Janine.. two months and may be more.. We don;t know yet what the next obstacle would be.. ...it could be three four month,why not? .. This is impoissble to work under such circumstances.. It is difficult and not fear to offer someone your help when you know they could be tortured ..Also it is worth to mention that during preparation periond all part recieves pills ..It is impossible and moreover not advisable to give pills to neither surrogate nor donor during several months..
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Permalink Reply by Ashok Panda on
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I can understand, still . this can be sorted out, Initial phases this happens, as you say there are changes in consular staff. and once this is sorted out next phases would be easier.
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