Tuesday January 9, 2007
More than just for boob jobs
IPOH: Health tourism in Malaysia is more than just breast enlargement jobs, said Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
The Health Minister said that besides wellness programmes, low-end dental treatment and breast, nose and eyelid enhancement surgery that attract health tourists to our shores, Malaysia also offered heart surgery as well as sophisticated dental treatment and plastic surgery.
“Malaysia has great potential for health tourism and we want to establish a niche market with high value added services,” he told reporters after opening a health-related tourism seminar here yesterday.
He pointed out that in 2005, a total of 230,000 foreigners came to Malaysia for treatment, generating a revenue of RM105mil. This was an improvement over 2004, when 175,000 patients sought treatment here and spent up to RM104mil.
Dr Chua said while he was happy with the increased number of patients, revenue was still low because most went for low-end treatment costing around RM2,000 to RM3,000 per job.
On a related matter, Dr Chua said he wanted more coordination between private hospitals and the ministry on information that could help promote the hospitals better.
He said some private hospitals were reluctant to disclose such information.
“Of the 35 hospitals that provide treatment for foreigners, only 27 hospitals are willing to give information to the ministry,” he said.
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