Kerala’s flourishing health sector has been fuelling the state’s economy over the last decade or two. The state has given as much importance to its healthcare industry as it has done towards literacy and education, and is putting in all efforts to develop it to its fullest potential. Kerala boasts of premium quality hospitals, medical colleges and health centres. Admission to the various medical colleges, both government and private, in the state, is done through annual entrance tests, and the field of medicine with its superspecialities in allied subjects is increasingly becoming a lucrative career option for wannabe doctors among students.

The health ministry of Kerala has played a pioneering role in the betterment of the healthcare industry in the state by facilitating diagnostic healthcare equipment and infrastructure for early detection and rectification of terminal illnesses like cancer and genetically transmitted diseases like HIV & AIDS, and also coming out with preventive medicines such as vaccines and life-saving drugs. Some of the premier institutes of the state such as Sree Chithira Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences & Technology located in the state capital and the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi are known for their medical services as well as ground breaking research in Medicine & Biotechnology including finding cures for a range of ailments, disorders and complications.

Biotechnology has made inroads into the world of medical science. Tissue culture has paved the way for successful organ transplants, polymer studies have made a mark on the way plastic surgeries are performed, and research in bio-ceramics is underway for further development in Kerala.

Moreover, Kerala is a favoured destination for restorative therapy by virtue of its own system of medicine, the ayurveda, which comes in healthcare and wellness packages suited to the needs and convenience of the travelers visiting the state. Other methods of holistic medicine include spas, massage therapy, steam baths, sauna etc the facilities of which can be availed at the hotels, resorts and home stays located across the state. Kerala is also home to hundreds of species of medicinal plants and herbs which are used in the preparation of ayurvedic cures and homemade remedies.

Kerala government and the private bodies are encouraging medical tourism and health & ayurveda in a big way. Medical tourism has been functioning successfully in the health sector and is responsible for raking in huge revenue, with an increasing number of travelers availing its health-cum-pleasure benefits.

Women and child health and care of the elderly are also receiving special attention in Kerala. Traditional therapies rendered with the additional benefit of new revolutionary technologies seem to be the new mantra in the health tourism sector which is constantly endeavoring to find remedies and solutions to keep pace with the fast emerging modern day maladies that are plaguing society.