Malaysia has seen a 20 per cent growth in health tourism over the past 3 years, generating almost RM600 million in revenue last year, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Malaysia’s medical tourism succeeds because of effective government regulation and Japan is one of the countries which has shown great interest in our medical tourism industry, said the prime minister.
Najib officiated the RM320 million 300-bed Parkcity Medical Centre at Desa Park City today, a joint venture between Sime Darby Bhd and Australia’s Ramsay Healthcare.
Meanwhile Bernama reported, Najib said at the officiating ceremony, local healthcare service providers need to regularly reinvent themselves and create opportunities for doctors and nurses to work without unnecessary barriers to stay relevant in dynamic healthcare marketplace.
The Prime Minister said it was the role of these professionals to be the catalysts for improvement, whilst ensuring that the needs and quality of care of patients remain the primary consideration.
He noted that strategic alliances between healthcare service providers would help advance the industry through the adoption of best practices and cross border clinical collaboration.
“As borders between countries become blurred with international cooperation, the potential gains are immeasurable. I urge healthcare service providers to leave no stone unturned in pursuing this potential.
“Becoming a regional healthcare hub ultimately creates more job opportunities and wealth, which benefit the economy and country as a whole,” he said in his speech when openeing the ParkCity Medical Centre (PMC) and the unveiling of Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care (RSDHC) logo, at Desa Park City here, today.
Najib also said the Sime Darby and Ramsay Healthcare partnership would further boost Malaysia’s aims to be a regional healthcare provider and provided a solid platform for expansion in the Asian healthcare sector.
Najib said the prospect of reversing the international brain drain of medical professionals through medical tourism was also very positive.
“Local healthcare providers should leverage all the advantages on offer such as the government’s support, political stability, accessible travel, innovative and pioneering forms of treatment, readily available information over the internet, as well as pristine tourist destinations,” he added. — BERNAMA
source: http://www.nst.com.my / New Straits Times / Home> Latest News / September 17th, 2013
