26 May 2026 by Pascalinah Kabi

As Lesotho continues to face mounting pressure on its healthcare system, newly appointed Honorary Consul of India in Lesotho, Biju Abraham Korah, says the opening of the Indian Consul’s Office could improve access to specialised medical treatment for Basotho patients seeking care in India.

Korah’s appointment was announced on 19 May 2026 by the High Commission of India in Pretoria under High Commissioner Prabhat Kumar.

Speaking to Uncensored News on 22 May 2026, Korah said the Consul’s Office is expected to become an important health referral and information centre for both Basotho and Indian nationals seeking treatment in India.

“Once the Consul office is open and operational, patients will be able to get guidance on where to go for treatment, which doctors to consult and which hospitals are suitable for their conditions,” Korah said.

He added that the office is working toward reconnecting Lesotho with major Indian hospitals, similar to previous partnerships with Apollo Hospitals.

“If Basotho want to go to any Indian hospital, the Consul’s office will help obtain hospital details and facilitate communication. We are also looking at establishing partnerships with hospitals in India again,” he said.

Lesotho’s Ministry of Health previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited aimed at facilitating the referral of Basotho patients to India for specialised treatment.

During the implementation of the agreement, an undisclosed number of Basotho patients travelled to India for treatment, particularly for cancer-related care, surgeries and kidney conditions that could not be fully managed locally.

However, the partnership later faced serious financial and administrative challenges. In January 2025, Newsday reported that Apollo Hospitals had stopped accepting Basotho patients after the Lesotho government allegedly accumulated unpaid medical bills amounting to millions of Maloti over a two-year period.

The suspension exposed Lesotho’s heavy dependence on foreign healthcare facilities for advanced treatment, particularly oncology services, amid growing concerns over the country’s rising cancer burden and limited specialist healthcare infrastructure.

Recent remarks by Korah suggest there could be renewed efforts to reconnect Lesotho with Indian hospitals, including Apollo, through the soon-to-be operational Indian Consul’s Office in Lesotho. Korah further revealed that discussions may be held with the Lesotho government on possible healthcare cooperation and patient support arrangements for referrals to India.

Meanwhile, the Indian Association of Lesotho has welcomed Korah’s appointment, describing it as a development that could strengthen healthcare cooperation between Lesotho and India while improving medical travel processes for Basotho patients.

Over the past few years, the Indian Association of Lesotho said it organised between four and five free medical outreach camps annually across Lesotho. According to Korah, one of the most recent camps held in Mantšonyane, within Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s constituency, treated nearly 3,200 patients. He added that another outreach programme in the constituency of Lebona Lephema provided healthcare services to about 4,300 people.

Korah, who has led the Indian Association of Lesotho for the past eight years, says the association will continue supporting healthcare outreach programmes and community development initiatives across Lesotho.