Subra: Medical tourism industry to bring in RM1.3 billion

KUALA LUMPUR: The medical tourism industry aims to bring RM1.3 billion to the nation's revenue this year, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam (pix) said.
He added the public and private hospitals are working hand in hand to boosts the competency of the industry and making Malaysia the center of medical tourism.
"The industry is cost effective, that means you'll get good care at a very reasonable cost so this is something that the government would want to promote," Subramaniam said during a press conference at the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (Asli) Healthcare Forum 2016 here today.
"Thailand as well as other Southeast Asian nations have a strong medical tourism industry, so we don't want to lose out to them. We want to improve our infrastructure to compete with them," he said.
Malaysia's share of the medical tourism market has steadily increased in the last few years.
In 2014, it reached 770,000 patients, bringing in revenue of around RM700 million, while last year revenue rose to about RM900 million.
The responsibility to lift the industry as an important global contender in medical tourism falls under Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) which was set up in 2009.
Subramaniam also wants the private sector to play bigger role in promoting medical tourism.
"At the end of the day, we want the private sector to take over the industry, because they are the beneficiaries, and they should be proud to take over the industry because they started it," he added.