Medical tourism is not new. For, as early as 900 AD, people migrated from place to place for medical treatment. So, it is not unusual of people coming to the State of Tamilnadu to get treatment for various diseases, State Tourism and Culture secretary V Irai Anbu has said. Irai Anbu was speaking while inaugurating the second symposium on promotion of medical tourism in the State yesterday. To facilitate medical tourism, Tamilnadu Tourism Development Corporation in coordination with IMA (TN) and Medtour India has made arrangements for people from abroad and hospitals to get early appointment with the specialists concerned in Tamilnadu, get an estimate of the cost required and arrange their travel, local hospitality, transport and look after all travel needs including immigration formalities and personal safety. The elderly, on demand, would be given a quick five-minute general check- up by a doctor before the person embarked on his sight- seeing tour. Minister of Tourism N Suresh Rajan, speaking on the occasion, said,‘Tamilnadu, a State in the southern most tip of India, is a leader in providing medical care, on par with the finest hospitals in the West, in almost all the medical fields. It has one of the best qualified professionals in each and every field and this fact has now been realised both in domestic and international circles. It is a leader in India especially in eye care, oncology, orthopaedics, dialysis and kidney transplant. Today, practically every road has a good nursing home with attending consultants.’TTDC director Rajaram, doctors Thirug-nanasambandam, Dr R Emmanual, Immigration officer Avi Prakash, and others from the medical fraternity spoke on the occasion. Korean diplomat was also present.