Indian-origin entrepreneur Shivam Desai praised a Bengaluru hospital after comparing it with the US healthcare system.
He said a ₹5,000 full-body health check-up in Bengaluru could cost $3,000–$5,000 in the United States.
His viral Instagram video highlighted affordable healthcare, shorter wait times, and India's medical tourism services.
An Indian-origin entrepreneur living in the United States has gone viral after praising a Bengaluru hospital and contrasting his experience with the US healthcare system. In an Instagram video, Shivam Desai, who previously worked at JPMorgan and SoFi, said he felt "lied to" after undergoing a full-body health check-up in Bengaluru for about ₹5,000. After spending several weeks visiting hospitals in the city, he described the facility as "one of the nicest hospitals I've been to in the world" and highlighted its cleanliness, modern design, and "absolutely no waiting."
After spending several weeks working with hospitals in India, Shivam Desai described the Bengaluru facility as "one of the nicest hospitals I've been to in the world." In the Instagram video reported by NDTV, he praised its "incredible greenery," modern design, cleanliness, and overall patient experience, adding, "It just baffles my mind how the US healthcare system operates."
Desai said he paid ₹5,000 (about $50) for a full-body health check-up and later checked with friends working in the US healthcare sector, who told him the same evaluation could cost $3,000 to $5,000 in the United States. He also contrasted patient experiences, saying, "Most hospitals in the US don't look like this, don't feel like this. They are very clinical, sterile. Absolutely no waiting."
Speaking about emergency care in the US, he recalled that one of his family members had once waited four hours in an emergency department.
India has emerged as a leading destination for medical tourism, offering advanced treatment across accredited hospitals at comparatively lower costs than many Western countries. The Government of India's ‘Heal in India’ initiative aims to strengthen the country's position as a global medical value travel destination by promoting quality healthcare services for international patients.
Desai's viral video has also renewed attention to India's affordable healthcare and dedicated international patient services. He encouraged foreigners and Indians living abroad to consider medical evaluations during visits to India, calling it "a very reasonable" investment and pointing to hospitals with dedicated facilities for international patients.
As debate continued in the comments section of his Instagram post, Desai clarified that he was not comparing the overall merits of the Indian and US healthcare systems. "I'm not arguing the merits of the situation. That is not my place," he wrote. "I'm simply describing the situation. As a foreigner, Indian healthcare is more affordable and accessible than in the US."
(Rh/TP/MSM)