India
The Indian healthcare industry is undergoing a phenomenal expansion. India is now looked upon as one of the leading destinations for medical tourism. Indian healthcare is synonymous with safety, trust and excellence. India has some of the finest qualified doctors, and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Personalized nursing care and hospitality are particular strengths of Indian medical care. Complemented with Yoga, Ayurveda and Meditation, India provides a complete balance of mental and emotional health. When it comes to blending healthcare with spiritual wellbeing, India has no rivals.
Accreditation standards are controlled locally by the Indian Healthcare Federation, the Indian Medical Tourism Council and the Indian Ministry of Health. Accreditation of hospitals and other healthcare facilities are handled locally by the NABH or the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers, which is the constituent board of the QCIN or the Quality Council of India. Some hospitals also have international accreditation by the Joint Commission International, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the British Standards Institute, or are affiliated with healthcare organizations and insurance companies in the US and the West. State-of-the-art medical equipment, modern hospitals, board-certified surgeons and world-class standards of nursing set India on par with other Asian medical destinations. Medical offerings in India are comprehensive, specializing in the full spectrum of surgical and high-end medical procedures. India caters to its guests with a range of medical packages from eye and dental care, cosmetic surgery, orthopaedic and heart surgery to IVF procedures.
India the Country
India is the seventh largest country in the world located in South Asia. India is an extremely diverse country when it comes to religion and language. The country's national language is Hindi. India has a population of 1.2 billion individuals with their capital being New Delhi. The currency used in India is the Indian rupee.
Language
India is a country very diverse in language. There are 22 officially recognized languages in India, but around 33 different languages and 2000 dialects that have been identified. These 22 include: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Religion
Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups buddish, Jain, Parsi 2.5%
Climate
In India, the weather stays hot for most of the year depending on which region you visit. The cooler part of the year lasts from around December to February, while the very hot part of the year lasts from March to June. Monsoon rains usually hit the country between June and October.
Clothing
When travelling to India the clothing that you pack will depend on what season you are planning to visit India in. Indian summers are very hot so if you are planning on visiting during this time wear loose, light clothes. Short skirts or shorts are not appropriate for women. If you are planning on visiting India during the Monsoon season it is quite humid so do not bring any synthetic materials as they are not breathable. Light cotton is the best choice for this season. Winters in India are quite cold so it is important to pack warm clothes during this time which runs from October to February. Lastly, if you are visiting any places of worship make sure to be fully clothed and to remove your footwear before entering.
Mobile Phone
A SIM card is not available for India. The SIM card must be used in conjunction with a Digital GSM mobile phone within the 900 MHz range or a Digital PCN mobile phone within the 1800 MHz range.
Many of India’s major hotels and facilities have email access and internet services with translation services available. Cyber cafes are also becoming very popular in India.
Interesting Places to see in India
Agra City
The Agra city is most commonly known for its Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is the seventh wonder of the world. The Taj Mahal represents a love story between Indian Emperor Shah Jehan to his queen Mumtaz Mahal. This historical monument attracts thousands of individuals yearly.
Golden Temple
The Golden Temple is one of the most sacred places for religious worship for the Sikhs, and is visited by thousands of religious individuals daily. India is truly a unique country that offers historical architecture and monuments, beaches, religious monuments, and gorgeous natural landscape.
Ajanta Caves
The Ajanta Caves are located in Maharashtra India. There are 29 caves in total that include paintings and sculptures. The Ajanta caves are all Buddhist and were built in two different phases. The first phase commenced in 200 BC, while the second one ended in 600 AD.
India has recently had a boom in their medical tourism industry due to the recent economic downturn in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Individuals are turning to India from these developed countries as guests in India are treated with the utmost respect, and some of the world's most highly recognized doctors are based out of India. There are over 3,371 hospitals in India with 745,985 registered practitioners working from these hospitals. India hopes that their recent medical tourism growth will help them account for around 3% of the global medical tourism industry by 2013 (Booming Medical Tourism in India, 2010).
Emergency Telephone Information
Fire: 101
Police: 100
Ambulance: 102
Government of Canada Emergency Services We are here to help you in case of an emergency.
After-Hours Emergency Contact
Call collect from any country to 0-11-613-996-8885 to reach the Emergency Operations Centre.
E-mail: sos@international.gc.ca
Canadian High Commission
Address: 7/8 Shantipath, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110 021, India
Telephone: (91-11) 2687-6500
Fax: (91-11) 2688-6736
E-Mail: delhi@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Website:http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/india-inde/
