The country is mapping out strategies to draw in even more international patients – not just for treatment, but for a complete experience built on trust, comfort and comprehensive care.
Medical tourists coming to Malaysia now do not just hail from the traditional markets of Indonesia and China but also South Asia, the Middle East and even Europe.
The MHTC is leading efforts to grow the industry and strengthen the country’s position as a premier global medical hub by the end of the year.
“We must be ready, because the challenge we have – we need to have capacity,” said the council’s CEO Mohamed Ali Abu Bakar.
“Even in Malaysia right now, we have (a) lot of hospitals adding buildings, building brand new (ones), so hopefully the capacity is there for us to achieve these goals,” Dr Mohamed Ali added.
The country is focusing on quality, affordability and personalised service to stay competitive in a crowded market amid rising global demand.
With medical inflation becoming a global concern, cost remains a key consideration for both local and foreign patients.
But experts said rising costs in Malaysia will not really affect medical tourists.
“Even… how much the cost may increase, it is still deemed to be affordable, because we are still one of the most cost-effective countries in terms of healthcare costs in the region,” said Dr Kuljit Singh, president of the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia.
