Following the identification of health tourism as
a growth sector by the Malaysian Government in
1998, significant public and private-sector
investments have been channelled into its
development over the past 15 years. The results
have been encouraging, with greater numbers of
medical tourists to the country increasing its
reputation as a healthcare provider in the global
space.
The country’s burgeoning health tourism is the
result of a combination of factors – from
foreigners acknowledging the country’s
affordable yet quality healthcare and generally
excellent tourism facilities to positive efforts by
the Government to promote Malaysia as a
medical tourist hub.
In 2010, with the launch of the Economic
Transformation Programme (ETP) aimed at
transforming Malaysia into a high-income nation,
interest in harnessing health tourism’s economic
potential grew. The ETP earmarked healthcare
as one of the country’s 12 National Key
Economic Areas (NKEAs). Within this NKEA,
health tourism is intended to generate
RM9.6 billion in revenue and RM4.3 billion in
gross national income, requiring 5,300 more
medical professionals by 2020.
Spurred by the ETP, private healthcare providers
have been making concerted efforts to attract
more medical tourists whom we believe we
could serve efficiently and effectively with our
world-class medical practitioners and cutting-
edge technology. Various initiatives undertaken
culminated in the country being given top
ranking for its healthcare services by
International Living’s 2015 Global Retirement
Index.
Business Review
HEALTH
TOURISM
104
KPJ Healthcare Berhad annual report
2014
