Three young children from Pakistan, aged between three and eight, who were due to undergo critical cardiac surgeries in India, will no longer be able to proceed with their treatment following recent restrictions on medical visas for Pakistani nationals.
Since 2010, India has been a key destination for Pakistani patients requiring advanced organ transplants, especially liver, heart, and lung surgeries. These procedures are often life-saving and not easily accessible elsewhere, prompting many families to turn to Indian hospitals for urgent care.
However, the continuation of such cross-border medical collaboration has become uncertain. Following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Indian authorities moved to suspend or cancel numerous visas issued to Pakistani nationals, including those granted for medical purposes. All fresh applications for medical visas from Pakistan are currently on hold.
While Indian patients are not dependent on Pakistani healthcare services, India has long served as a crucial option for Pakistani families in need of high-end or time-sensitive treatments.
India has seen a steady decrease in the number of Pakistani nationals arriving for medical treatment over the past several years. In 2016, India issued over 1,670 medical visas to Pakistani citizens. That figure dropped sharply in subsequent years: 550 in 2019, followed by 97 in 2020, 96 in 2021, 145 in 2022, 111 in 2023, and 225 so far in 2024 — totaling 1,228 over the last five years.
In the current climate, Indian medical tourism companies are emphasizing their alignment with government policy.
“We fully support the nation’s stance in this delicate situation,” said Chandra of Vaidam Health. “We remain committed to upholding both our humanitarian responsibilities and national interests.”
Sharma of Medical Linkers echoed the sentiment, saying, “Healthcare is rooted in compassion, but in rare moments like this, we are reminded of a greater responsibility — not just to patients, but to our country.” She added, “This was a tough call, but sometimes, standing by what is right means making difficult decisions. We do so with integrity and full faith in our government’s judgment.”