Healthcare and medical hub in Iskandar Malaysia

 Johor government wants to promote medical tourism to realise Iskandar Malaysia to become healthcare and medical hub in the region, taking advantage of its strategic location in South East Asia and high quality services with cheaper medical bill and affordable healthcare compare to its competitor Singapore.

Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin said that there are about 14 private hospitals in Iskandar Malaysia. Most of the facilities in these private hospitals received many patients from nearby countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and regional countries.

KPJ Healthcare, a private hospital chain under Johor Corporation has been assigned by Johor government to draw a master plan associate to transforms Iskandar Malaysia into healthcare and medical hub in the region.

“With the right planning, we can turn Iskandar Malaysia into a medical tourism focused healthcare and medical hub as we are located next to Singapore. Besides of providing healthcare and medicines, services like sterilisation should also be looked into as the costs of such services tend to be higher in Singapore hospitals,” he said after launching the KPJ Healthcare Camp in Kampung Nelayan, Permas Jaya here yesterday.

“KPJ has four hospitals in Iskandar Malaysia and is indirectly linked to the state government. I am sure that with their expertise, KPJ are able to come up with an effective plan for a sustainable healthcare and medical hub for example in the next five years,” Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin said.

“We always talk about developing Iskandar Malaysia and the Johor state but it is not only restricted and focused on new housing developments. There should be a balanced development in the services and healthcare sectors as well,” he added.

Medical tourism has been popular in neighbor countries like Singapore and Thailand. Many Indonesians flight to Singapore every year for healthcare and medical checkup. Iskandar Malaysia should seize the opportunity of its expertise in healthcare and medical, affordable healthcare and strategic location to attracted Indonesian.

Columbia Asia Hospital at Afiat Healthpark

Healthcare and medical tourism

Tourism Industry

Tourism Industry

Tourism is a key driver to development and a major creator of jobs across national and regional economies, including spurring the growth of related sectors, such as retailing, hotel and resort operations, food manufacturing, construction and services. Tourism also is the direct foreign currency earner and contributor.

Service industry is identified as the fastest growing industry over the next 20 years in Iskandar Malaysia. Service industry is expected to contribute from 50% in 2005 to 57% in 2025 of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Within service industry, tourism industry Gross Domestic Product GDP is expected to grow from 8% in 2005 to 12% in 2025 with average growth of 9.6% per annum and job creation of 16,340 jobs. Most of the sub-sectors create significant job opportunities, offering high value job opportunities such as hotel managers, food and beverage (F&B) service staff, tour managers and theme park managers.

Capitalising on global tourism trends, budget airlines and budget hotels mushrooming, and Malaysia’s tourism advantages, the government and private sector have jointly collaborated to accelerate the further development of Iskandar Malaysia’s tourism sector. Tourism Iskandar Malaysia focuses and reinforces the unique local characteristics and heritage features, and to preserve as well as enhance its natural environment for eco-tourism and medical tourism.

Seven areas have been identified by Iskandar Malaysia tourism:-

1.       Theme Parks and Family Entertainment Centres

Malaysia first indoor family theme park, Sanrio Hello Kitty theme park and Legoland theme park, the Asia first Legoland theme park invested and completed at 2013. Both theme parks have received break record of tourists arrival since its operation especially on the weekend and holiday seasons.

2.       History, Heritage, Arts and Culture

Johor government has taken integrated approach to develop and promote Johor’s rich history and culture. The iconic Sultan Ibrahim Building at Bukit Timbalan will be the focal point. Government also investing to redevelop Johor Bahru City centre into a new vibrant city centre with water canal built.

3.       Eco-tourism and Homestays

Iskandar Malaysia has close to 2,000 hectares of national parks, forest reserves and wetland. The main promoted site is Ramsar sites of Johor. Ramsar cover wetlands surrounding Sungai Pulai, PulauKukup and Tanjung Piai National Parks. Pulau Kukup is one of the largest uninhabited mangrove islands in the world. Homestays gained popularity amongst international visitors who want to experience local Johorean culture and customs at an affordable price. Eco-tourism is an important tourism for the learning and raise up the environmental protection mindset.

4.       Food, Dining and Shopping Attractions

Malaysia, comprising of 3 major ethnics Malay, Chinese, and India with few minors ethnics has rich of food varieties and famous to the world. Iskandar Malaysia taken advantages of its location near to Singapore, is a popular shopping and dining destination for tourists especially from Singapore. It offers more a more affordable range of goods and services as well as wide variety of culinary selections.

5.       Outdoor activities, Events and Recreational Tourism

There are 15 established golf courses available within Iskandar Malaysia. Johor Motorsport Circuit is available for car and motor racing enthusiasts. There are also events like Johor International Kite Festival, Iskandar Malaysia Rugby Challenge and World Marching Band competition yearly.

6.       Medical Tourism

The medical tourism sector is poised to experience high growth because of the increasing demand for more specialized treatments and sophisticated medical facilities. The new upcoming healthcare medical center in Iskandar Malaysia are Regency Specialist Hospital, Columbia Asia Hospital, AFIAT Healthpark, and development of a wellness township.

7.       MICE and Accommodation

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) in Johor, currently caters largely to the national events market segment, with conference packages offered by city hotels. Persada Johor and Danga Bay Convention Centre are amongst the major purpose-built MICE convention centers. 

Tourism Malaysia

Tourism Malaysia

Tourism Malaysia - Multi Cultures and Customs

Tourism Malaysia - Multi Ethnics Delicacy

Healthcare Industry

Healthcare Industry 

Healthcare services is one of the rapidly growth industry in the world. PriceWaterhouseCoopers in its HealthCast Report forecasts that health spending in the OECD countries is expected to triple to RM31 trillion (US10 trillion) by 2020 and to account for 16% of GDP in OECD countries. The Asia Pacific market comprises over a quarter (27%) of the total global healthcare market and its market share is expected to expand further to 40% of total global healthcare revenue by 2015, as forecasted by Frost & Sullivan.

There factors that contribute to the healthcare industry growth include:

1. Income and demographic shifts have seen rising affluence fuelling demand for high quality healthcare services including choice of healthcare destination (medical tourism), and aging population catalyzing growth of nursing care and other supporting healthcare services.
2. Urbanisation, fast-faced and stressful lifestyle has led to shifts in dietary habits and the rise in the incidence of so-called developed country illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer driving the demand for specialists’ healthcare services such as heartscan and kidney dialysis centres.
3. Higher incidence of lifestyle diseases have resulted in new medical drugs and treatments, as well as traditional complementary medicine such as traditional Chinese, Malay and Indian origins and organic treatments and wellness.
4. Greater consumer education has created awareness of nutrition, product safety, and other natural and organics approaches to health maintenance, including wellness services.

There are a lot of opportunities for healthcare services in Iskandar Malaysia:

• Capture a share of the significant and high growth Asian market

• Tap on Malaysia’s large private healthcare market

• Competitive and high quality healthcare services

• Multi-lingual and quality workforce at affordable cost

• Establish regional COE (Centr Of Excellence) for healthcare research and innovation, with best in class facilities

• Various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives

The healthcare industry priority sub-sectors can be segmented into six categories:

1. Specialist Medical Services

•  Specialists in lifestyle disease   eg: dialysis centre, heartscan

•  Dental specialist services

• Ambulatory care services

2. Diagnostic Medical Services

• Diagnostics (including pathology laboratories)

• Telemedicine

• Integrated lab services

3. R&D COE for healthcare

• Healthcare R&D

• Healthcare biotechnology

• Education – medical learning institutions

•  CRO  e.g. clinical trials

4. Traditional Complementary Medicine

• Acupuncture

• Ayurdevic

• Homeopathy

5. Wellness Services

• Rejuvenation centres

• Retirement and nursing homes

• Rehabilitation centres

6. Medical Equipment Manufacturing

•  Cardiovascular devices

•  Orthopaedic devices

• In-vitro diagnostic devices

• Electromedical equipment

• Wound care products

• Homecare products

Reason for investing in healthcare Iskandar Malaysia:

1. Catchment: Large high growth markets in Asia

As Malaysia’s southern gateway, Iskandar Malaysia is emerging as a key regional hub to servicing neighbor ASEAN, Asia Pacific and other global markets (Europe, Middle East and other western countries).

2. Connectivity: World-class, integrated and multi-modal network connectivity.

World-class infrastructure with excellence multi-modal connectivity linking international airports, international seaports, integrated road and rail networks and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) high speed broadband highways, all supporting shorter traveling and communication times to regional and global markets.

3. Comprehensive: Integrated planning and development

Iskandar Malaysia’s policies are aligned to national healthcare industry strategies and will benefit from Malaysia’s medical tourism initiatives, apart from excellent integration with other supporting metropolis amenities and facilities.

4. Capabilities: English-speaking, yet Asian multi-lingual talent pool

Emerging choice country of medical tourism, with English-speaking wide talent pool of foreign and domestic trained medical professionals, yet multi-lingual and multi-cultural, and plenty of healthcare services group

5. Cost Competitiveness: Affordability price

Affordability price from human capital, real estate (land and buildings) to cost-effective operations.

6. Conducive Environment: Dynamic and stable

Stable government, resilient economy, easy and competitive place for doing business, attractive environment for business and people to “Invest, Work, Live, and Play”, plans to transform Iskandar Malaysia into a vibrant metropolis.

Healthcare Industry Iskandar Malaysia