National Medical & Wellness Tourism Board Makes Headway

THE THIRD Meeting of the National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board was held recently under the chairmanship of Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Culture. The meeting was attended by the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Rashmi Verma, other senior government officials and members of the Board comprising of stakeholders in the travel and hospitality industry and experts in the field of Medical and Wellness Tourism as well as other systems of Indian Medicine.

In the Second Meeting of the Board held on 28th March, 2017, it was announced that comprehensive framework and roadmap on Medical and Wellness Tourism would be prepared and presented before the nation in time for the International Yoga Day on June 21st 2017. Following this decision of the Board, a Committee was formed under the chairmanship of Dr. H R Nagendra, President Shri Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bengaluru to formulate a comprehensive framework and roadmap on Medical and Wellness Tourism.

The Committee presented its report for adoption by the Board in which a standard framework for assessment and accreditation of all AYUSH facilities that cater to tourism has been created. The institutions can apply online for self-assessment which would then be reviewed for accreditation. All organisations that are already accredited and/or qualified and/or certified by NAAC, NABH, ISO-9004, Indian Yoga Association (IYA), Center of Excellence (CoE), Organisations affiliated by Universities, Approved Integrative Hospitals and government AYUSH Institutions and  Green Leaf / Olive Leaf organizations approved by Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala were listed on the Ministry of Tourism website by 21st June 2017.

 The National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board was constituted under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Tourism in October 2015 to provide dedicated institutional framework to take forward Medical Tourism and position India as competent and credible medical and well tourism destination.