Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary SP Goyal has announced plans to develop Lucknow as a major medical tourism hub, leveraging the city’s specialised healthcare facilities, advanced diagnostic services, hospitals, skilled medical professionals and hospitality infrastructure.
Goyal said the state government will soon convene a meeting involving hospitals, medical experts, medical tourism stakeholders and representatives of the hospitality industry to identify the requirements and prepare a comprehensive roadmap for promoting medical tourism in Lucknow.
The announcement was made on Saturday at an event organised to mark the completion of two years of HealthCity Vistar Super-specialty Hospital and Trauma Centre in Gomti Nagar Extension.
Stakeholder Meeting to Prepare Medical Tourism Roadmap
Speaking at the event, Goyal said Lucknow already possesses many of the essential facilities required to attract patients from across India and abroad.
He said the proposed stakeholder meeting would bring together representatives from different sectors associated with medical tourism to identify gaps, assess requirements and work out a coordinated strategy for developing Lucknow as a medical healthcare destination.
The meeting is expected to include representatives from hospitals, the medical fraternity, medical tourism companies and the hospitality industry.
The objective will be to create an ecosystem where patients travelling to Lucknow for treatment can access not only advanced medical care but also suitable accommodation and other support services for themselves and their attendants.
Why Lucknow Has Potential to Become Medical Tourism Hub
According to Goyal, Lucknow has a combination of healthcare and hospitality infrastructure that gives the city considerable potential in the medical tourism sector.
The city has specialised healthcare facilities, advanced diagnostic services and hospitals in both the public and private sectors. It also has a large network of hotels and other hospitality facilities capable of accommodating patients and their attendants travelling from different parts of the country and overseas.
“Lucknow is equipped with a wide range of medical facilities, including world-class hospitals in both the public and private sectors, advanced diagnostic services and affordable healthcare,” Goyal said.
He added that the availability of hotels and hospitality infrastructure for patients and their attendants further strengthens Lucknow’s prospects as a medical tourism destination.
“With these facilities in place, Lucknow has the potential to emerge as a major medical tourism hub,” he said.
Focus on Expanding Specialised Healthcare
The Chief Secretary said Lucknow’s development as a medical tourism hub would be supported by expanding specialised healthcare services across the city.
The move is expected to encourage healthcare institutions to strengthen their specialised treatment capabilities and provide more advanced medical services locally.
The broader objective is also to position Lucknow as a destination where patients can access quality and affordable treatment without having to travel to other major healthcare centres outside Uttar Pradesh.
HealthCity Vistar Expanding Advanced Treatment
The announcement came during an event celebrating two years of HealthCity Vistar Super-specialty Hospital and Trauma Centre in Gomti Nagar Extension.
Hospital Managing Director Dr Sandeep Kapoor said the facility is expanding its services in line with the changing healthcare needs of patients.
He said the hospital aims to make more advanced treatments available in Lucknow, thereby reducing the need for patients to travel outside the city for specialised medical care.
“More than 100 senior doctors and surgeons are working across over 25 super-speciality departments,” Kapoor said.
He added that the hospital plans to further expand its services and develop the facility into a training institute equipped with advanced facilities, including robotics across departments.
Robotics and Advanced Medical Facilities Planned
The hospital management is also looking to incorporate advanced technologies into its future expansion plans.
Kapoor said robotics would be introduced across departments as part of the hospital’s effort to strengthen its advanced treatment capabilities.
The proposed expansion is aimed at improving access to specialised procedures and modern healthcare technologies for patients in Lucknow and the wider region.
He also highlighted the local medical talent associated with the hospital, saying that most of its doctors and specialists are from Lucknow.
Senior Officials and Medical Fraternity Attend Event
Around 200 guests attended the event marking the completion of two years of the super-speciality hospital.
Among those present were Padma Shri awardee and actor Anil Rastogi, Amit Kumar Ghosh, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education Department, ACS Home Sanjay Prasad, senior doctors, government officials and other dignitaries.
The gathering brought together representatives from the government, healthcare and medical sectors, providing a platform to discuss the city’s evolving healthcare ecosystem.
Lucknow’s Growing Healthcare Ecosystem
The proposed medical tourism initiative seeks to build on Lucknow’s existing healthcare strengths rather than create an entirely new ecosystem.
The city already serves as an important healthcare destination for patients from Uttar Pradesh as well as neighbouring states. The presence of government medical institutions, private hospitals, specialist doctors, diagnostic centres and supporting hospitality services provides a foundation for attracting a larger number of patients.
The proposed roadmap could bring these different components together and create a more organised medical tourism ecosystem.
If successfully implemented, the initiative could also benefit allied sectors such as hotels, transport, diagnostics, pharmaceutical services and other patient-support facilities.
Government, Hospitals and Hospitality Sector to Work Together
The involvement of the hospitality sector is expected to be an important component of the proposed plan.
Medical tourists often require accommodation for extended periods, particularly when patients undergo major procedures or specialised treatments followed by recovery and follow-up consultations. Their attendants also require affordable and convenient accommodation close to healthcare facilities.
By bringing hospitals and hospitality-sector representatives together, the government intends to identify such requirements and develop a coordinated approach.
The upcoming stakeholder meeting will therefore be an important step towards determining how Lucknow can leverage its existing infrastructure and address any gaps that may emerge as the city seeks to attract more patients from other states and countries.
Aiming to Position Lucknow on Medical Tourism Map
The proposed development of Lucknow as a medical tourism hub is part of a larger effort to strengthen the city’s healthcare infrastructure and make advanced treatment more accessible.
With specialised hospitals, experienced doctors, advanced diagnostics, affordable treatment options and an established hospitality sector, Lucknow already has several advantages.
The state government’s proposed roadmap is now expected to focus on bringing these strengths together, identifying areas requiring further investment and creating an ecosystem capable of serving both domestic and international patients.
The initiative, if implemented effectively, could strengthen Lucknow’s position as one of North India’s key healthcare destinations while also reducing the need for patients to travel outside the city for specialised treatment.
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