MALACCA: Despite the global economic downturn, Malaysia expects to see a 28% rise in foreign patients seeking medical treatment in the country.

Among the reasons for this is the establishment of a one-stop medical and tourism online portal to facilitate all needs be it consultation, treatment, accommodation or tours.

MalaysiaHealthCare.com (MHC) chief executive officer Suresh Ponnudurai said the country would continue to attract health tourists from countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, Bangladesh and Japan and those from the Middle East and Europe.

“Malaysia is one of the region’s centres of medical excellence owing to its quality and affordable facilities and services. About 360,000 health tourists visited Malaysia in 2007, a 20% increase from 2006,” he told reporters here during a press conference after signing a Memoradum of Understanding between Mahkota Medical Centre and MHC recently.

Pact sealed: Suresh (left) shaking hands with MMC chief executive director Francis Lim (right) while State Women’s Affairs, Family Development and Health Committee chairman Norpipah Abdol looks on at the event in Malacca recently.

He said the use of technology and the Internet had positioned the health care industry as one of the best in the region.

Malacca received more than 64,000 medical tourists last year, mostly Indonesians, and was ahead of Penang, Federal Territory, Johor and Selangor.

The numbers are expected to increase after the upgraded Batu Berendam Airport opens early next year to bring in tourists from neighbouring countries.

Also, a RM300mil 300-bed private hospital known as Straits of Melaka Specialist Centre will be developed in Klebang within the next two years.

MHC acts as a channel to network, integrate, facilitate and manage all aspects of health and medical tourism for health tourists and service providers i.e. hospitals, travel and insurance agents, airlines and hotels.

At the www.malaysiahealthcare.com website, medical tourists can schedule their treatment and holidays by making online bookings for services.

By ALLISON LAI