Malaysia: Government measures help boost sector
Country Focus
Medical tourism has been a key priority for the Malaysian government in recent years, following the implementation of several initiatives aimed at enhancing the country's attraction as a world class health care destination.
These measures have included providing tourists with holiday health care packages, such as one that includes flight, hotel, airport transfers and a health screening test to certain groups.
The government's tourism office has also launched a one-stop-shop portal to assist international patients. The website even offers recuperation holiday itineraries in Malaysia based on the type of medical treatment patients have had.
Singapore's ParkwayHealth, which owns and manages 10 hospitals in Malaysia, said its facilities attracted many Muslim patients from the Middle East and Indonesia.
Competitive pricing and modern medical facilities which include highly qualified private nurses and even personal room butlers also heighten the country's appeal for general surgery.
Though Malaysia offers similar health care services to Singapore, its reputation for medical breakthroughs still lags its neighbour, according to Gill Kamaljeet, the global chief marketing officer at ParkwayHealth.
