Malaysia has expressed interest in strengthening cooperation with Bangladesh in the healthcare sector, including specialist medical training, joint initiatives and medical tourism.
The issue came up during a meeting between Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain and Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Mohd Shuhada Othman at the minister’s office in the Secretariat on Tuesday.
During the meeting, both sides stressed the need to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in healthcare.
Highlighting Malaysia’s growing reputation as a medical destination, the Malaysian envoy said the country has made significant progress in healthcare and is increasingly attracting patients from abroad.
He said patients from Cambodia who previously travelled to Thailand for treatment are now increasingly choosing Malaysia.
“Malaysia could also be a good destination for Bangladeshi patients,” the high commissioner said, adding that Bangladeshi patients interested in receiving treatment there can seek assistance through the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC).
The health minister praised Malaysia’s development in the medical sector and said Bangladesh has also made considerable progress in a number of specialised fields.
He proposed arranging advanced training in Malaysia for Bangladeshi specialist doctors in areas including kidney, liver and bone marrow transplantation.
Sakhawat also suggested exploring opportunities for joint initiatives in different areas of medicine and said the two countries could consider signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate such cooperation.
The Malaysian high commissioner said a number of Malaysian students are currently studying MBBS and MDS programmes in Bangladesh, while others are pursuing studies at Bangladesh Agricultural University.
The health minister assured him of all necessary support for Malaysian students studying in Bangladesh.
The envoy also highlighted the transparency of Malaysia’s healthcare system, saying treatment costs and medicine prices are displayed for patients.
He claimed that treatment costs in Malaysia are also relatively lower than in many other countries.
“If good services are available, people from Bangladesh will go to Malaysia for treatment,” Sakhawat said, adding that many people known to him had already travelled to Malaysia for medical care.
The Malaysian high commissioner invited the health minister to visit Malaysia. Sakhawat said he would make the visit at a convenient time.
Officials from the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka, the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, its Bangladeshi partners and senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare attended the meeting.
