KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry expects medical tourism to grow significantly and contribute RM540 million in revenue by end of 2010.

The ministry’s deputy secretarygeneral, Dr Junaida Lee Abdullah, said some 625,000 medical tourists are expected to visit Malaysia next year and the ministry is taking the necessary steps to promote and boost the industry.

“The numbers are growing exponentially and the APHM (Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia) data shows revenue generated from foreign patients grew from RM14.1 million in 1998 to RM299.1 million in 2008,” said Junaida. She said the number of foreign patients rose from 39,114 in 1998 to 374,063 in 2008.

Junaida said this after officiating at the 17th International Healthcare Conference and Exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. She also launched a book, Patients Without Borders – Malaysia edition, written by Josef Woodman, a respected author in the medical tourism industry.

The 240-page book will be distributed internationally to promote the Malaysian medical sector. Also present at the launch was APHM board member and medical
tourism sub-committee head Datuk Dr K. Kulaveerasingam.

by Tim Leonardnewsdesk@thesundaily.com