Malaysia has announced an easing of visa processing for health service seekers from Bangladesh from Tuesday.
“A number of documents were required if you planned for a medical visa for Malaysia, including a bank statement, proof of accommodation and flight ticket. Starting today (Tuesday) all these documents are no longer required,” said Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Haznah Md Hashim.
“The moment you decide to seek medical treatment in Malaysia, you just need to bring your passport to the medical agent or referral partner listed under the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka,” she added.
The agents will take care of the processing, including getting doctors’ appointments, as well as subsequent endorsements by Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), as well as visa processing, said the high commissioner.
The envoy was speaking at the Malaysia Healthcare Business Forum, hosted by MHTC at a Dhaka hotel on Tuesday, as the chief guest.
She also committed to processing medical visa applications within 48 hours from submission to the High Commission office.
The Malaysian high commissioner also said a fast-track e-visa process for healthcare travelers is in the pipeline, which will shorten the application process to three to five working days, including up to 48 hours of processing time at the high commission.
E-visas will allow for an easier and cost-effective extension of stay for both the patient and two medical companions on one application, she added.
“Multiple visas may be possible or considered under suitable circumstances when appropriate,” she said.
The Malaysia Healthcare Business Forum is aimed at showcasing its commitment to offering Bangladeshi healthcare travellers a more seamless end-to-end patient journey experience as well as its strengths as a globally recognized healthcare destination.
The Malaysian high commissioner said medical tourists are the important ones among short-term travelers.
“Malaysia offers the highest quality healthcare services with a perfect balance of quality, accessibility and affordability due to close monitoring by the Malaysian government. There is also another unique characteristic of healthcare on Malaysian soil, which is its halal factor,” she said, welcoming Bangladeshi healthcare seekers to experience Malaysian medical services.
As a renowned global halal hub, Malaysia Healthcare provides halal menus and prayer facilities at hospitals, porcine-free medical products such as sutures and vaccines, and it is equipped with Muslim medical professionals and personnel, both male and female, said the organizers.
Mohd Daud Mohd Arif, chief executive officer of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), said the council is looking very closely at ways to make it easier for patients, specifically from Bangladesh, to travel to Malaysia and get treatment.
Describing Malaysia as a preferred destination for healthcare travelers, he said: “We welcome people from around the world, especially from Bangladesh, where Malaysia can provide unique experiences of high-quality medical services at an affordable and competitive price, and one can have access to medical treatment immediately within a very short period of time.”
Malaysia can offer extensive treatment facilities, including niche treatments such as cardiology, fertility and oncology at over 200 private healthcare facilities available in Malaysia, the event organizers said.
The event also advocated for preventive healthcare by integrating premium wellness screening together with tourism activities, which will provide the perfect opportunity for healthcare travellers to experience other places in Malaysia, beyond Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, such as Melaka, Penang, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.
The forum announced that GD Assist Limited (GD Assist), a Green Delta Insurance Company Limited subsidiary, is MHTC’s referral partner and official representative in Bangladesh.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was exchanged between MHTC and several parties, including the Bangladesh Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI), Prime Bank Limited and Shimanto Bank Limited, at the event to demonstrate their commitment to assisting healthcare travellers from Bangladesh to make their way to Malaysia.
An insightful healthcare dialogue session was also held with prominent Malaysian healthcare professionals where they shared their views on a wide spectrum of medical and healthcare disciplines such as oncology, cardiology, fertility and patient facilitation, among others. Farzanah Chowdhury, director of GD Assist Ltd, Stanley Lam, CEO of Mahkota Medical Centre, and Irene Kwan, CEO of TMC Fertility and Women’s Specialist Centre, were the panelists at the event.
Participants from both Bangladesh and Malaysia, including corporate entities like banks, insurance companies, tourism and travel companies, and local hospitals, as well as representatives from MHTC member hospitals, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, and other stakeholders attended the event.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
