Wellness Program (Medical Tourism focusing bringing patients to Malaysia)
Malaysia is emerging as the new power in South East Asia and has acquired a significant position in the continent. Like economics, society, and tourism, healthcare in Malaysia has also undergone major transformations. If we compare the current healthcare with the pre-colonial era, it is clear that medical facilities were limited and traditional with very basic infrastructure to fulfill the rapid needs of the people.
Similarly, many new economic trends have emerged over time. Visa restrictions and trade barriers were lessened to boost the economy and income of the country. Tourism is an important part of the Malaysian economy and by considering this significant factor, medical tourism was introduced to put a great impact and key contribution to the nation’s economic progress.
This is the reason Malaysia is known as one of Asia’s most known developing countries in medical tourism. Medical tourism means providing medical facilities to people who travel from one country to another to receive medical treatment.
MOH, Ministry of Health is the responsible entity of Healthcare in Malaysia. MOH works closely with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) to offer an efficient system of health care coverage to both government and private healthcare institutions. In recent years, Malaysia has emerged as one of the top choices for foreign patients looking for healthcare treatment abroad.
The field of medical tourism has received popularity in recent years and has captured the attention of policy-makers and researchers around the world. According to an estimate, the global medical tourism industry is increasing enormously and is predicted to generate revenue between USD 38.5 to 55 billion annually with approximately more than eleven million patients seeking cross-border healthcare worldwide.
The Malaysian government has started a full-fledged wellness program where the best medical facilities with state-of-the-art equipment and diagnostic centers have been established to provide services. In 2017 Malaysia was among the top 20 countries that provide the best medical facilities and is one of the wellness tourism destination.
Apart from general medical facilities and wellbeing centers, Malaysia has the potential of focusing on fitness, mental and psychological aspects in a wider scope. The field in which the country is heavily investing and promoting are physical sports events such as running, cardio, boxing, self-defense, and cycling, but at the same time also focusing on mind and emotional wellness.
Fly yoga or aerial yoga, for instance, is a new form of exercise that uses hammocks and is was considered the main event of the 2016 year’s “Fit Malaysia” event.”
In general, Malaysia has become an established medical tourism destination. The consolidation of quality care, state-of-the-art facilities, safety, and regulations that meet international standards governing the laws within this industry has transformed the growth of medical tourism in Malaysia.
Moreover, Malaysia’s healthcare that offers specialties in various medical disciplines and medical practices are at par with some of the developed countries, further enhancing the scope and standard of the wellness program.
