Cancer Surgery Medical Value Travelers from Rwanda to India

Researchers from the World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF), say that this year, more than 10 million people worldwide are projected to be diagnosed with Cancer, a disease commonly believed to be preventable. Today, Cancer is a major health crisis that is creating havoc in millions of lives. It is a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissues. Only 5–10 percent of all Cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95 percent has their roots in the environment and our stressful lifestyle. Researchers say that presence of Cancer has been found even among the primeval fossilized bones, human mummies. So unfortunately this perilous health disorder has been with us since ages.

As per the data revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO), Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, causing 1 in 6 deaths and was responsible for approximately 8.8 million deaths in 2015, with the number rapidly mounting each year.

The field of Oncology deals with the diagnosis of any type of Cancer. Surgery or any other modalities including different therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy come under the subject of Oncology. Healthcare professionals who deal with or practice this branch of medicine are referred to as Oncologists or Cancer specialists. They deliver news – good or bad. They aid in the diagnosis, prevent the further deterioration and guide the patients about the various treatment possibilities.

Symptoms of Cancer depend on the type of Cancer, where it is located and where the cells have spread. They are often described by the body part that they originated in.

Some of the types of Cancer are:

• Lung cancer
• Skin cancer
• Bone cancer
• Leukemia
• Ovarian cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Head and Neck cancer

Special Services

Special and individualized care – We ensure fast and efficient services, which include immediate diagnostic and treatment procedures with no waiting lists. There is 24/7 staff for full patient support services, who are well trained to handle the most complex situations. Depending on the urgency, there are special consultations for scans, clinical investigations organized for Rwandan medical tourists. Even if you are not insured, we ascertain that you are equally benefitted; and we don’t need any doctor’s referral to cater to you. We attend each and every Rwandan with supreme care and patience.

Special packages – One thing that comes into consideration and is obviously very crucial while choosing a treatment destination, is the cost factor. We understand this and ensure that our patients are happy and supremely satisfied with the pricing of the treatments and procedures, they are looking for. We specially offer very cost effective packages for medical tourists from Rwanda; customize the packages keeping in mind that patients are coming from all sections of the society.

Free second opinion – When it comes to illness and related procedures, certainly there can be some doubts in your mind; regarding the proficiency of the doctor or about the clinical investigation. So that you have no doubts regarding these factors and have full trust in us, we can arrange for free second opinion in our empanelled hospitals. This will surely help in clearing your dilemma and cement the trust in our relationship further.

Language Assistance – It is very important that the medical personnel are capable of handling this language issue, as health issues need to be communicated accurately and in a very detailed manner. So, we look after this issue by arranging expert translators/interpreters so that the requirements of our Rwandan friends reach the doctor properly and vice versa.

Quick visa assistance – We make the visa process absolutely uncomplicated and hassle free. Our 24/7 visa assistance is at your disposal to look after all your queries and needs related to visa. We make it as simple as possible so that there is no time wastage, keeping in mind your health issues and the associated urgency.

Logistics Support – We are with you right from the moment you arrive at the airport. Our staff is there to receive the medical tourists at the airport, ensure that the guesthouse/hotel is perfect for the travelers. Further, we monitor your admission formalities and keep a detailed track your treatment process at the hospital – either in person or over phone – as and when required. Also, we provide regular medical updates about you to the sponsor of the treatment such as, the insurance agency, charity organization, your employer, etc.

Special food – Every health issue, its treatment and the suggested procedure comes along with its own dietary schedule and restrictions. We make sure that the food issues and such restrictions are well taken care of, ensuring your good health. We have special tie-ups with local food chains; customized diet plans are proffered keeping in mind speedy recovery and for better outcomes for the Rwandan patients.

Follow up services – After any treatment/procedure, the most important phase is the follow up. Without this, the procedure is considered incomplete and can lead to a relapse. Follow up is important both for the patient as well as the doctor/surgeon. We ensure that there are no obstacles or interruptions in this phase and organize follow up services even after the patient is back in his own country, after his successful treatment in India.

Clinical camps – In order to create awareness about various health issues as well as to provide free and easily accessible services, clinical camps are organized in Rwanda. There are doctors and assistant staff available in such camps to guide Rwandans regarding many health issues and associated precautions.

Some of the types of Cancer treatment include:

• Surgery
• Radiation Therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted Therapy
• Hormone Therapy
• Stem Cell Transplant
• Precision Medicine

Furthermore, follow up of Cancer patients also comes under the area of oncology.

Cancer Treatment – Why in India?

As per the estimates by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the world population is expected to reach 7.5 billion by 2020. Also, the number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70 percent over the next 2 decades. So, there is a massive amount of pressure on the doctors and researchers worldwide to find out ways to restrain this issue.

Considering this, there is an incredible amount of research being conducted on all areas of Oncology, ranging from Cancer cell biology to chemotherapy treatment regimens, especially in India. This makes Oncology a continuously evolving and developing field. Today, India is setting high standards and is at par in successfully treating Cancer patients with the most advanced medical facilities. Not only this, the cost of treating Cancer abroad can be around ten times higher than what it is in India. Also, the waiting time is much lower in India as compared to other leading countries.

As per the Indian Medical Association (IMA), India has some of the best surgeons and experts in the field of Oncology and Cancer Surgery Services. They have received training and gained experience in advanced patient care from the best institutes, located both in India and abroad. They implement the finest preventive methodology, latest techniques for Cancer screening and Cancer treatments, along with very reasonably priced treatment packages. Working closely with the highly-skilled healthcare professionals and award-winning hospitals, the Oncology and Cancer experts in India are proud to offer the best Cancer surgery procedures.

Rwanda facing a Grave shortage of Oncologists

Experts say that preventing more Cancers and diagnosing the disease as early as possible, when treatment is more likely to be effectual, could have a noteworthy impact on survival. But this is not happening in Rwanda. According to the Rwanda Medical Association (RMA), there are only 2 Oncologists to look after the Cancer related needs of a country with a population of about 12 million. Most of the rural and remote areas of poverty-stricken Rwanda are underserved by health workers. This shows that even though basic healthcare is guaranteed in the constitution of Rwanda, the ground reality is actually opposite. Rwanda faces collapse and critical shortage of medical staff due to neglect and underfunding, brain drain and refusal of Oncologists to accept posting at rural areas. This takes a tremendous troll on the remnant medical staff. And it’s getting worse day by day and the people affected due to this are continually on the rise. The best medical staff has emigrated and the remainder medical staff does not have adequate treatment centers and medical facilities to even cater to the basic healthcare needs of the ailing population in the country, making the situation direr.

RMA reveals that the five most common cancers in Rwanda are Gynecological (cervix uteri, corpus uteri and ovary), Urological (bladder, kidney, prostate and testis), Liver, Hematological malignancies (Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma and leukemia) and Breast Cancer. With more than 70 percent of the population dwelling in poverty, there is not much hope for reasonably-priced treatments there and owing to the obvious urgency, the patients have to travel long distances to get the required care. Furthermore, the situation is complicated due to shortage of appropriate medicines and diagnostic centers.

Inflow of Oncology Patients from Rwanda to India

According to WHO, by 2030, it is estimated that annually 45 million surgical procedures will be needed worldwide. Yet, less than 25 percent of the patients with Cancer worldwide actually get safe, affordable, or timely surgery. Further, Cancer drugs cannot be accessed by every Rwandan as costs of Cancer care in Rwanda are becoming increasingly expensive and going out of control – primarily due to the shortage of ample expertise and medicines. Even the routine therapy is no more affordable in Rwanda. Thus, the lower cost of healthcare in India is the main aspect that attracts Rwandans to travel to India.

At present, access to effective Cancer surgical procedures is a privilege for just a few Rwandans. Even those who can afford, the waiting time can be around six months to one year; whereas in India, the waiting time is nil and the treatments are very pocket-friendly. Thus, Cancer surgeries remain one of the top four procedures for which patients from other countries travel to India. The growth potential of medical value travel business from Rwanda visiting India for Cancer procedures can be estimated. International Journal of Health Management and Tourism (IJHMT) shows that the number of medical tourists coming to the country for medical purposes was 200,000 in 2016.

Thus, Indian hospitals have successfully treated several hundred Rwandans over the years. Cost has been undeniably the key driver in attracting these patients. The findings by International Medical Travel Journal (IMTJ) show that the average range of savings in India is 65-90 percent. But at the same time, quality of the healthcare services, brand name of various hospitals in India and the proficiency of the surgeons are certainly the other key drivers. No wonder India is witnessing a rising inflow of such medical tourists every year. With the right attributes like experts medical professionals, advanced equipment and most importantly low cost and supreme patient satisfaction, India ensures that the medical tourists are in capable hands.

About Indian Hospitals

India offers some of the best medical treatments in the world. The private hospitals in India have excellent reputation and our healthcare sector has sustained enormous boom in recent years. Despite the prejudices about healthcare in developing countries, rest assured that the cancer surgery hospitals in India are at the forefront of medical technology and are well equipped with the modern state of the art technology and highly qualified and experienced cancer surgeons. Indian doctors are considered the best in the world with the high level of surgical expertise that evolves from many years of training.

Hygiene in private hospitals in India is excellent and the Rwanda patients seeking cardiac surgery are screened for HIV and Hbs Ag antibodies to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases and incidence of MRSA is minimal. The operation theatres have laminar air flow installed and gaining the ISO9001 standardisation, a voluntary standardisation run b a nongovernmental body where the hospitals must pass rigorous tests to be certified is increasingly becoming popular in the hospitals and the clinics.

Medical Visa Information for Patients from Rwanda to India

The Embassy of India has not been established in Rwanda yet. Rwanda nationals are eligible for Indian e-Visa that can be applied online for saving time.

Apply for e-Medical visa online at least four days before the date of travel with a window of 120 days. By that way, you will get the Indian e-Visa approval letter before leaving Rwanda for India, so that you can pick up Indian e-Visa at the arriving airport. Once in India he/she can stay for a maximum of 60 days.

Applicants can visit www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa for more information and to apply online.

For any clarification, send email to indiatvoa@gov.in or cons.kampala@mea.gov.in.

Eligibility for Rwandans applying e-Visa to travel to India

• Rwandan Travellers whose sole objective of visiting India is short duration medical treatment, recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, or casual business visit.
• Passport should have at least six months validity from the date of arrival in India. The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer.
• Rwandan Travellers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.

Visa invitation letter

When you are applying for a medical visa, a visa invitation letter is required. A visa invitation letter is a formal document that is sent to the patient from the Indian hospital that sanctions his/her medical treatment in that hospital in India.

This also serves the purpose of a proof that the patient has indeed contacted with Indian hospital and will be having his or her treatment there. The visa invitation letter consists of the patient details, details of his/her ailment, treatment procedure and duration of the treatment involved. Hence it is an important and mandatory document required during the application and for the sanction of a medical visa to the patient.

Embassy Information

Vaccination

Travelers visiting India must possess a valid "Yellow Fever Vaccination" card if they are transiting or have transited through a Yellow Fever Zone.

• Flight & Travel from Rwanda to India
• Kigali, RW (KGL) to New Delhi, IN (DEL)
• Kamembe, RW (KME) to Chennai, IN (MAA)
• Kigali, RW (KGL) to Mumbai, India (BOM)
• Kamembe, RW (KME) to Bangalore, IN (BLR)

Common Flights to Rwanda to India