Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has entered into a partnership agreement with Bangladesh’s NCH Consumer Healthcare for patient referrals to Malaysia.
As the healthcare traveller spending from Bangladesh to Malaysia increased 34 per cent in 2016 from 2015, MHTC is eager to leverage NCH Consumer Healthcare’s network in Chittagong, Bangladesh’s second largest city with a population of over 2.5 million.
NCH Consumer Healthcare’s Rahbar Anwar (left) with Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council’s Sherene Azli at signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur
From 643,000 healthcare travellers to Malaysia in 2011, the segment has grown to more than 921,000 travellers in 2016. Meanwhile, healthcare travel in Malaysia climbed 23 per cent from 2015 to record over RM1.1 billion (US$255.9 million) in hospital revenues.
MHTC CEO, Sherene Azli, commented: “Malaysia Healthcare seeks to establish a stronger brand presence, as well as build greater relationships with Bangladeshi consumers and industry stakeholders. The Asian market plays a key role in our development strategy, with Bangladesh being one of our strongest markets, and one we want to engage with more closely.”
A pharmaceutical company with more than 30 years of operations, NCH Consumer Healthcare is also targeting Malaysia as a preferred destination for Bangladeshi healthcare travellers as it expands its portfolio into healthcare travel.
The Malaysian Immigration Department, with support from the High Commissioner’s office in Bangladesh, has implemented special considerations for registered medical travellers to fast-track their visa applications from five working days to only two, and within 12 hours for emergency medical cases.
