AHMEDABAD, India, July 7, 2026 -- Quality healthcare should never be a matter of geography or means, yet for patients in many parts of the world, it still is. As illnesses grow more complex and treatments advance, the gap between what is medically possible and what is locally accessible keeps widening for many. Patients travelling from Eastern and Southern Africa often face longer wait times for specialist care, higher costs for advanced diagnostics and treatment. Every year, thousands of patients leave their home countries in search of better treatment, and within Western India, Gujarat has emerged as one of the most trusted destinations. Zydus Hospital, Ahmedabad, along with its other three centres, has spent several years working to close that gap.
To bring advanced healthcare to even the remotest corner of the world, Zydus organises regular health camps where doctors from several specialities visit Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and other countries. Several patients visit these camps, and hundreds fly down for procedures and check-ups, with more than half travelling from Tanzania and Kenya alone. Over the past three years, these numbers have doubled, driven largely by the hospital's outreach programs, its growing online presence, and patients' word-of-mouth. For many, the entire cost of travelling, health check-ups, and surgery still works out to be considerably less than what a single procedure would cost back home. Additionally, Zydus operates on fixed packages that include end-to-end support: one-on-one consultations, travel visas, airport transfers, FRRO clearances, accommodation, and all necessary documentation.
Recently, we have seen a steady rise in medical tourism to India, backed by strong government support, including easier visa processes and better flight connectivity to Africa, Central Asia and beyond, making the journey simpler for international patients. Within Western India, Ahmedabad has emerged as a key destination, with Zydus Hospital drawing a growing share of these patients.
Today, Zydus Hospital stands as a hub for advanced care across Neurology, Gastrointestinal, Urology, Gynaecology, Oncology, Spine, Cosmetic, Plastic, Nephrology and ENT specialities, and more. They also specialise in joint replacement, including robotics & revision surgeries, spine surgeries, and more complex and intricate surgeries. It is also a dedicated centre for breast, colon, gynaecologic and prostate cancers, bone marrow transplant (BMT), and more. Alongside these major interventions, they also cater to a steady stream of patients who simply come for screenings and routine health check-ups.
Dr. Nahush Tahiliani, Medical Oncologist, Zydus Cancer Hospital, says, "Because these patients often travel with limited time and immense emotional and financial stakes, our goal is to move from arrival to definitive treatment initiation within 72 to 96 hours." He adds, "The in-house availability of advanced treatment options from targeted therapies, immunotherapies, minimally invasive and robotic surgeries to the latest radiation therapy techniques, BMT, nuclear therapies with PET CT scan and tumor gene analytics yield phenomenal oncological outcomes with economic feasibility."
Dr. Niraj Vasavada, Sr. Spine Surgeon, Zydus Hospital, Ahmedabad, has treated patients from across the African continent, especially Sudan, for some of the most complex spinal conditions using minimally invasive techniques. He recalls one family whose journey with him began almost by chance: "A patient was referred to me when I was attending a conference in Ahmedabad. Over time, I ended up treating five members of his family. Each presented with a completely different challenge. One needed a revision surgery, one underwent adult deformity correction entirely through MIS technique, and one needed a minimally invasive approach to avoid the risks open surgery posed, given his weight (BMI was 52). All five recovered fully and are doing well today. That single referral has since grown into a larger patient network, including several high-ranking members of the Sudanese government." The spine program is supported by intra-operative neuromonitoring (IONM), O-arm navigation and real-time 3D imaging, along with a dedicated multi-disciplinary team, which makes it possible to undertake a range of complex procedures that also includes orthopaedic surgeries like joint replacement, treatments for osteoporosis and other ailments.
Dr. Prarthan Joshi, Sr. Urologist, Zydus Hospital, Ahmedabad, who frequently visits these countries, recalls a striking case, "We once treated three brothers who came with the same condition - prostate enlargement - and over the course of 1.5 years, each brother was managed differently. The first tested positive for prostate cancer, and we performed a robotic radical prostatectomy. The second, on biopsy, turned out to have a benign enlargement and responded well to medical treatment. The third also had a benign enlargement, but since medication wasn't a suitable option for him, we treated him with a laser prostatectomy." He further adds, "Our patients usually suffer from UTIs or congenital urogenital anomalies and those needing a kidney transplant. We also treat many women, particularly elderly post-menopausal patients in whom we usually perform TVT-O surgery, and reconstructive and sling surgeries (robotically or laparoscopically). Also, many paediatric patients come to us with congenital conditions or stones and avail treatment."
Dr. Lav Selarka, Sr. ENT Surgeon at Zydus Hospital, Ahmedabad, shares, "Most patients come to us with complaints of hearing loss or impairment, vertigo (Ménière's disease), skull-base lesions, and snoring or sleep apnea. We also perform several complex endoscopic and microscopic skull-base surgeries, cochlear implant surgeries, facial nerve schwannoma resections, and revision surgeries across patients of all age groups." He adds, "We have one of the largest ENT departments in Western India and provide all services in-house. In addition to patients from Western and East African countries, many also fly in from the USA, Canada, and the UK."
Two recent initiatives have added a new dimension to this effort. Teleconsultations are now available across most departments, allowing patients to meet their treating doctor one-on-one before they ever book a ticket, so they arrive with a clear plan already in place. Alongside this, the physician training programme now gives local doctors the opportunity to learn under specialists, helping them build clinical capacity back in their home countries.
Zydus Hospital, Ahmedabad, remains committed to extending this model further, bringing advanced, affordable healthcare within the reach of patients regardless of where they live.
To know more about their services, visit https://zydushospitals.com.
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