Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 13:

Medical experts say that Nepal can attract a large number of foreigners if it can promote the Nepali hospitals, which provide quality services at affordable rates, abroad. They say that the flow of medical tourists will help Nepal cover the losses incurred by the tourism industry.

Dakpa Gyaltsen, 40, a Tibetan living in Scotland at present, has been coming to Nepal for the last three years. Everytime he comes to Kathmandu, he visits the National Kidney Centre (NKC) for dialysis. For three weeks, he underwent dialysis treatment.

'Initially, I used to have my dialysis done at the Bir Hospital, but due to lack of equipment, they informed me that I would have to go some place else.' It was then that he visited the NKC. 'I was highly impressed by the quality of services and friendly staff. ' He is planning to have the kidney transplantation in Scotland soon.

Dr Rishi K Kafle, executive director and chief consultant nephrologist at the NKC, opines that the waning tourism industry can be revived if the concerned authorities take measures to promote health tourism. 'We will never compromise with the quality of service we provide to our patients,' he says.

Established in 1997 with five dialysis machines, the NKC today boasts of the largest haemodialysis treatment centre in the country. It is equipped with 15 dialysis machines, two reverse osmosis machines and relevant modern equipment for the smooth running of a dialysis centre.