Bangladeshis to get medical visa for diagnostic tests in India

India has agreed to a Bangladesh request to give medical visa even for the “diagnosis” purposes.

New Delhi responded to the request considering a “humanitarian need”, according to the joint statement released on Saturday after the bilateral meeting of the two Prime Ministers – Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi.

“Indian side responded to a humanitarian need expressed by Bangladesh by allowing medical visa facilities for diagnosis in India subject to supporting documentation being produced”.

Thousands of Bangladeshis travel to India for medical treatment.

A Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) report in 2015 pointed to the fact that many Bangladeshis even go for “routine pathological tests”.

For medical visa earlier confirmed appointment with Indian hospital or doctor was required along with certification from a local doctor that he needs to travel to India for medical treatment.

But, it is not always possible to have prior confirmed appointment for the first time traveller for diagnosis and medical checkup.

Now, the local paper-based applicants will get a medical visa even for diagnosis and checkups, an official, who has knowledge on the matter, told bdnews24.com.

Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Prof Kamrul Hassan Khan, who is a pathologist, however, does not find any reason for Bangladeshis to go to India for diagnosing diseases.

“We have almost all the facilities for diagnosing diseases here in Bangladesh,” he told bdnews24.com.

“Brokers lure people to India spreading false information about Bangladesh’s health services,” he said. “People also do not have proper information. There is an information gap,” he said.