Pediatric cardiac surgical tourism in LMIC's-the paradox
- PMID: 40417600
- PMCID: PMC12102013
- DOI: 10.1007/s12055-025-01922-x
Pediatric cardiac surgical tourism in LMIC's-the paradox
Abstract
Pediatric cardiac surgical tourism is a growing phenomenon in low-middle-income group countries, particularly India, which has emerged as a global hub for affordable and high-quality healthcare. India has become a destination for families seeking lifesaving cardiac interventions for children, driven by the prohibitive costs and long waiting lists in their home countries. However, this trend presents a paradox. While it showcases India's strengths in delivering advanced medical care at competitive costs, it simultaneously highlights systemic disparities in healthcare access within the country. This review critically examines the drivers, challenges, ethical concerns, and implications of pediatric cardiac surgical tourism in India. It also explores policy recommendations to address this paradox.
Keywords: Congenital heart disease; LMIC healthcare; Pediatric cardiac surgical tourism.
© Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons 2025. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflict of interestThis is an invited Review article. The authors have received no financial support and no competing interest to disclose.
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