The Medical Tourism or Healthcare Event organised by the Consulate General of Malaysia in Melbourne with cooperation from the Australia-Malaysia Business Council (Victoria) and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) was held this morning (Tuesday, 24/6/2014 from 11 am till 2 pm). The event which saw Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin (CEO of MHTC) giving presentation on Medical Tourism in Malaysia, saw the attendance of more than 50 invitees comprised among others Sir Peter Wentzki (Executive Director of Ausnindo Health), Candida Costa from ICN, Huei Eow from Herniman Group, and representatives from the Victorian Health Department.
Dr Rameez who gave a welcoming speech spoke on the need for more collaboration between Victorians and Malaysia in this niche product and to take advantage of promoting this collaboration with the coming into effect of the Malaysia Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA). Earlier on Dr Wong had a brief meeting with Dr Rameez to discuss on the potential to collaborate further in offering Malaysia as a healthcare destination for Victorians and Australians. Medical Tourism is given emphasis as one of the key contributing factors to Malaysia’s inroad to become a high income developed nation under the National Key Economic Area (NKEA) Healthcare of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). The event also saw Mr Joe Perri, President of AMBC-Victoria talk about the need to take advantage of MAFTA in exploring opportunities that will benefit both Malaysia and Australia especially Victoria.
Malaysia saw an almost two-fold increase in number of foreign patients seeking medical treatment in the country from 374,000 in 2008 to 770,000 in 2013, and is projecting a figure of 1.9 million in 2020. The number of Australians who sought treatment in Malaysia has also increased from 7,200 in 2010 to 13,400 in 2013, and the numbers are expected to increase further as a result of aggressive promotion of medical tourism as well as Malaysia being blessed with good healthcare system, good pool of high quality health personnel, as well as having safe, friendly, attractive and reasonably priced tourist destinations.
