KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is positioning itself as a “neutral, credible platform” capable of bringing together healthcare stakeholders across Asean amid growing demand for cross-border healthcare collaboration, as regional healthcare systems grapple with fragmented regulations, rising medical costs and accelerating digital transformation.
Qube Integrated Malaysia general manager and show director for Health Summit Asia (HSA) 2026 Kevin Teo said healthcare systems across Southeast Asia currently operate under different regulatory frameworks, reimbursement structures and procurement models, resulting in varying approval timelines and market-entry requirements from country to country.
“What Malaysia can uniquely provide is a neutral, credible platform that brings these stakeholders together in one jurisdiction,” he told SunBiz.
Malaysia’s healthcare exports reached RM61.31 billion in 2024, with medical devices accounting for a significant portion of exports, reflecting the country’s strong manufacturing capabilities within the regional healthcare supply chain.
Teo said the next phase of growth for Malaysia’s healthcare sector will depend increasingly on stronger Asean market access and deeper regional healthcare collaboration rather than manufacturing capability alone.
He said many Malaysian healthcare companies continue facing challenges when expanding regionally, including distributor access, regulatory complexity and investor visibility.
According to Teo, HSA 2026 is intended to facilitate regional healthcare dialogue and business collaboration through curated Asean buyer delegations, investor engagement sessions, business-to-business meetings and discussions involving regulatory stakeholders.
“In doing so, HSA 2026 helps Malaysian healthcare players connect with new markets, build strategic partnerships, and position their innovations within the broader Southeast Asian healthcare landscape,” he said.
Teo noted that Malaysia already has strong foundations within the regional healthcare ecosystem, including tertiary healthcare networks, pharmaceutical capabilities, a globally competitive medical device manufacturing base and a medical tourism sector projected to generate around RM3 billion in 2025.
He said regional leadership in healthcare is no longer defined solely by infrastructure or manufacturing strength, but increasingly by a country’s ability to convene stakeholders, facilitate dialogue and support cross-border healthcare collaboration.
Beyond healthcare trade and manufacturing, Teo said Malaysia’s healthcare sector is also undergoing broader structural changes as medical inflation, digital health adoption and preventive healthcare become increasingly important.
Medical inflation in Malaysia is projected to exceed 12.6% in 2025, while chronic diseases such as diabetes affect more than 21% of adults nationwide, driving stronger demand for preventive healthcare, AI-enabled diagnostics and digital health solutions.
Teo said HSA 2026 will showcase technologies ranging from AI-enabled diagnostics and digital health platforms to hospital automation systems and robotics-assisted surgeries as healthcare providers accelerate digitalisation efforts.
He noted that the Ministry of Health is currently rolling out electronic lifetime health records and allocating RM150 million to expand IT systems across 100 clinics, while AI adoption in disease detection is also expanding within the public healthcare system.
“HSA will spotlight these developments through both our conference discussions and technology showcases. This ensures that conversations around digital health are grounded in practical implementation and real-world healthcare needs,” he said.
