Melaka : (Bernama)
Malaysia is targeting patients from both developed and less developed countries in the medical tourism sector by embarking on good facilities and competitive rates compared to other parts of the world.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said Indonesia remained as the biggest market due to its proximity and accessibility.
“We are also targeting Middle Eastern countries and Bangladesh also as the Ministry itself is allocating RM25 million in promoting medical tourism, ” he told reporters here after addressing the 31st Annual Dinner and Installation Night of the Malaysian Medical Association Melaka Branch at a leading hotel here last night.
He said medical tourism benefited the government in terms of foreign direct investments and also spin-off effects in the hotel and shopping sector.
According to International Medical Travel Journal News, medical tourism receipts in Malaysia from foreign patients totalled RM509.77 million in 2011 involving 578,403 patients.
Dr Subramaniam said medical tourism was growing fast with Singapore and Thailand the biggest players in the region besides Malaysia.
source: http://www.mysinchew.com / MYSinchew.com / Home> News / Bernama / Melaka – September 29th, 2013
