Minister of Health Malaysia, Yang Berhormat Khairy Jamaluddin, endorsed strategies and plans for 2022 put forth by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), the agency tasked to facilitate and promote the growth of Malaysia’s healthcare travel industry globally.
YB Khairy, who is also Co-Chairman of MHTC is confident that these strategies will play a significant role in reviving the economy as we transition into endemicity.
The strategies and initiatives are anchored upon the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Industry Blueprint 2021-2025, launched on 1 November 2021 by YB Khairy Jamaluddin, which will be implemented in two main phases:
i. Recovery Phase (2021-2022):- to reinforce awareness on Malaysia Healthcare’s worldclass quality offerings and enhance the patient experience through digitalisation of key touchpoints, creation of more strategic partnerships, unified branding efforts as well as raising Malaysian global icons for healthcare.
ii. Rebuild Phase (2023-2025):- industry players to collectively work together to amplify awareness on Malaysia Healthcare’s niche offerings such as the Fertility Hub of Asia, Cardiology Hub of Asia and the Cancer Care Centre of Excellence.
This follows the success of Malaysia Healthcare, Malaysia’s healthcare travel industry, in garnering RM551 million in revenues based on hospital receipts, 6% above targeted revenue goal for 2021.
This achievement was largely driven by the implementation of a stringently monitored Medical Travel Bubble, vigorous G2G and B2B engagements, 18industry partnerships contributing to the volume of inbound patients, alongside continuous branding, and awareness initiatives to keep international customer base informed on Malaysia’s commitment to being a safe and trusted healthcare destination.
MHTC also hosted annual events, insigHT2021, the region’s medical travel market intelligence conference, in November 2021, and the Medical Travel Media Awards 2021 (MTMA2021) in December 2021 to honour members of media and influencers for their contribution to building awareness on the industry.
Currently in the Recovery Phase, 2022’s initiatives will be focussed towards laying a solid foundation for the Rebuild Phase, aiming to generate RM800 million in revenues through continuous efforts to elevate Malaysia’s position as a safe and trusted destination for healthcare.
Through these efforts, Malaysia Healthcare is expected to encourage increase in job creation, spill over effects boosting other economic sectors while also spurring new opportunities in nurturing a more future forward industry.
With the impending reopening of Malaysia’s borders, the Recovery phase will witness cohesive effort by industry players and 2 enables to reverse the effects of the pandemic on the economy in a sustainable manner while staying ahead of competitors.
MHTC looks forward to fostering stronger public-private partnerships, which have been an undeniable success factor behind Malaysia Healthcare’s growth. As the Government continues to invest in this industry, MHTC partners with key players from the public sector such as the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Tourism Malaysia, the Immigration Department of Malaysia, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Health as well as the private sector such as healthcare, wellness, hospitality, tourism, transportation, and more, who have 1remained steadfast throughout in further growing the industry.
In 2022, Malaysia Healthcare is expected to implement several key initiatives in catalysing further industry growth which includes the launch of a One Stop Portal for healthcare travel, raising Malaysia’s first Flagship Medical Tourism Hospitals, establishment of more strategic partnerships to attract more inbound healthcare travellers in a safe and calibrated manner, and creating pathways for Foreign Direct Investment by way of pharmaceutical research and development, medical innovations, and technological research, allowing for a special sandbox and facilitating opportunities in setting the future state of the healthcare industry.
The endorsement of Malaysia Healthcare’s 2022 strategies and initiatives was decided during MHTC’s Board of Director’s meeting which took place on 18 February 2022 and co-chaired by by YB Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister of Health Malaysia and YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed Minister in Prime Minister’s Department, Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and attended by YB Dato’ Indera Mohd Shahar bin Abdullah, Deputy Minister of Finance I, Ministry of Finance, Malaysia; YBhg. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, Director General, Ministry of Health Malaysia; and YBrs. Pn. Eunice Chan, Independent Director.
