SPONSORED FEATURE
Warm Greetings from Malaysia Healthcare !
It has been over three months since I was entrusted as Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council , and what a journey it has been thus far . Together with my team , I look forward to playing a bigger and more instrumental role in propelling Malaysia ’ s profile further as the leading global destination for healthcare travel . I am delighted to embrace this new challenge with much honor and optimism , as our team continues to cement itself as the World ’ s Healthcare Marvel , despite the adversities .
A year into the pandemic , our priority remains in forging resilience for the industry – through recovery and rebuild efforts which will steer our path towards providing the best healthcare travel experience by 2025 . One of the ways in which we aim to achieve this is by building on our existing offerings and enhancing the Malaysia Healthcare experience through niche branding . A key initiative which we are embarking on is advocating Malaysia as a Cancer Centre of Excellence , which sits well with this edition ’ s theme on oncology .
Strengthening Malaysia ’ s Identity as a Cancer Centre of Excellence
According to the World Health Organization ( WHO ), cancer is the second leading cause of death globally 1 . Like many other chronic illnesses , cancer requires immediate medical attention and is best to diagnose in the early stages . Treatments for cancer usually cover the span of medical , including surgery and chemotherapy , and post-operative care and therapy .
Over the many years of serving healthcare travellers , Malaysia has built its reputation as a safe and trusted destination for healthcare travel for a variety of treatments , including cancer . Cancer treatments in Malaysia have seen tremendous improvements in terms of upgraded infrastructures , world-class facilities , and more advanced technologies throughout the years . A key milestone for the country was when we welcomed the opening of the country ’ s National Cancer Institute in September 2013 , showing the government ’ s commitment in improving the health and wellbeing of cancer patients .
Malaysia ’ s private healthcare sector has also seen positive developments in oncology . Currently , 31 out of 74 of our MHTC member hospitals focus on multiple types of cancer treatments , including breast , lung , nasopharyngeal , colorectal and lymphoma .
In a recent study conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit ( The EIU ) 2 Malaysia emerged as the third most prepared country in the Asia Pacific to battle cancer . This further reinforces Malaysia ’ s reputation in oncology , as we work towards establishing ourselves as a Cancer Centre of Excellence . For patients seeking treatment in Malaysia , rest assured that our medical marvels are committed to ensuring you receive the best medical service available and quality care for your peace of mind .
Safety Remains Our Priority
Prior to the pandemic , Malaysia had already established itself as a leading destination for healthcare travellers . Medical facilities and healthcare destinations alike will have to arm themselves with SOPs and the necessary infrastructure to support and deliver a much safer healthcare journey experience to communicate the assurance of patient safety from arrival , throughout treatment , and upon returning home .
Ultimately , the safety of our patients and community remains our priority . Whilst some countries are going back to normalcy as COVID-19 cases have subdued , others like Malaysia , are slowly but surely fighting this battle . No matter where each of us stand , I urge all of you to remain vigilant . Together , let us do our part in flattening the curve .
Thank you .
Mohd Daud Mohd Arif Chief Executive Officer Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council
1 https :// www . who . int / health-topics / cancer # tab = tab _ 1
2 https :// says . com / my / news / report-malaysia-is-the-3rd-mostprepared-country-in-asia-pacific-to-battle-cancer