The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council said it expects to make 22 million ringgit (K8 billion/US$5.3 million) from medical tourists from Myanmar this year.
Nik Yazmin Nik Azman, chief commercial officer of the council, said that the country’s healthcare system can provide quality health services to Myanmar citizens.
“Myanmar citizens who come to Malaysia will pay the same prices as Malaysians,” she said. “We want to make sure that good quality healthcare is given to everyone.”
Last year, Malaysian healthcare facilities earned 12.8 million ringgit from Myanmar patients. “We expect this number to keep growing,” she added.
Patient safety and care are strictly monitored by Malaysia’s Ministry of Health under the Private Healthcare and Facilities Service Act (1998).
Malaysia has a well-developed dual healthcare system in which public and private healthcare facilities work in tandem under the ministry.
Malaysia has 200 private hospitals, not including dental clinics and health and wellness centres. The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council said it has 78 best partner hospitals, 21 elite partners, and 52 ordinary members.
Records showed that the most common medical treatments that Myanmar citizens seek in Malaysia are related to heart problems, oncology, in vitro fertilisation and diabetes.
In 2011, over 2000 patients came from Myanmar to Malaysia for medical treatment. By 2018, that number had grown to 16,000, the council said.
The council said it is looking for a long and fruitful collaboration with Myanmar, where it wants to build medical facilities, and already works with seven hospitals, including Victoria Hospital in Yangon.
Malaysia was awarded the “Best Country in the World for Healthcare” and “Top Asian Country for Retirement” by US-based International Living three times between 2015 and 2019.
It has emerged as one of the top performing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Recently, the Global Market Report 2018 ranked Malaysia as the world’s top healthcare travel destination by volume.
Source: The Myanmar Times
