Malaysia Honors First-Ever Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital, Strengthening Global Healthcare Leadership

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) marked a significant milestone in the nation’s medical tourism journey with the announcement of the inaugural winner of the Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital (FMTH) Programme. This landmark initiative, developed and led by MHTC, reaffirms Malaysia’s commitment to becoming the world’s leading destination for high-quality, patient-centred medical care.

Finalist bersama (Dari Kiri) Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza, Brand Ambassador, Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026, Dato' Sri Suriani binti Dato' Ahmad, Secretary General, Ministry of Health, Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly bin Ahmad, Minister of Health and Chairman of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), Yang Berusaha En. Suriaghandi Suppiah, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC)

The prestigious FMTH 2025 Award Ceremony, held at M Resort & Hotel Kuala Lumpur, was officiated by YB Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly bin Ahmad, Minister of Health Malaysia, who presented the awards alongside Yang Berusaha En. Suriaghandi Suppiah, CEO of MHTC, and YBhg. Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza, Brand Ambassador for the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026.

Yang Brusaha En. Suriaghandi Suppish CEO MHTC

In his opening address, the Minister of Health highlighted medical tourism as a cornerstone of Malaysia’s economic resilience and global standing. 

“The medical tourism sector remains a vital pillar of Malaysia's long-term economic resilience and a key contributor to our nation's global reputation for quality and care. Through the FMTH initiative, we are strengthening the country's position as a preferred destination for world-class medical treatment, wellness, and recovery. This sector not only attracts quality investments and creates high-value job opportunities but also supports the growth of related industries such as pharmaceuticals, hospitality, and technology.” 

CEO of MHTC, En. Suriaghandi Suppiah, emphasised the transformative impact of the initiative.

“The Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital initiative represents a bold step by MHTC towards positioning Malaysia as a trusted and competitive destination for world-class healthcare. Today, we recognise one winner and four hospitals receiving special accolades for excellence in specific domains. This is not merely about recognising achievement; this initiative drives a national aspiration, one that aligns with our long-term vision for a stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive economy.”

Award Highlights

Island Hospital, Penang, earned the coveted title of Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital 2025, recognized for its excellence in clinical delivery, service quality, and global brand presence. The other finalists—Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), Mahkota Medical Centre, and Subang Jaya Medical Centre—were also honoured for their exceptional contributions.

In addition, five specialised accolades were presented:

I. Excellence in Healthcare Tourism Revenue Growth: 

Awarded to Island Hospital, Penang 

II. Medical Excellence and Medical Technology Distinction: 

Awarded to Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) 

III. Strategic Industry Partnership Leader: 

Awarded to Mahkota Medical Centre, Melaka 

IV. Digital Innovation in Patient Service Delivery: 

Awarded to Island Hospital, Penang 

Malaysia 

Awarded to Subang Jaya Medical Centre 

Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad Minister of Health Malaysia

A Multi-Year National Transformation Programme

Launched as a multi-year national initiative from 2021 to 2025, the FMTH Programme was designed to strengthen Malaysia’s global healthcare competitiveness through a structured, phased approach. The participating hospitals underwent rigorous bi-annual progress assessments, strategic mentoring, tailored capability development, joint international marketing with government agencies, and independent evaluations conducted by Joint Commission International (JCI) and IQVIA Consulting Group APAC (IQVIA).

These four hospitals demonstrated exceptional commitment to continuous performance improvement, infrastructure development, and patient-centred care excellence. The FMTH winner will now serve as a national ambassador hospital, embodying Malaysia’s brand promise of medical excellence, trusted care, and authentic hospitality.

MHTC also reaffirmed JCI’s pivotal role as a global benchmark for healthcare quality and patient safety. As the world’s leading accreditation authority, JCI’s standards continue to shape clinical governance, patient safety, and operational excellence across Malaysian hospitals.

Strategic Lead-Up to Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026

The FMTH Programme forms a critical foundation for Malaysia’s preparations toward MYMT 2026. According to En. Suriaghandi Suppiah:

“With a strong global brand, sustained programme enablers, and internationally benchmarked hospitals, We are strategically positioned to welcome greater numbers of healthcare travellers seeking trusted, high-quality, patient-centred care. Central to this effort is the introduction of holistic and integrative healthcare packages that expand beyond treatment-based travel to include wellness, preventive care, and Traditional & Complementary Medicine, offering international patients fully curated medical-and-wellness journeys”. He further added “Complementing this is a drive to deliver a seamless end-to-end patient experience, integrating pre-arrival coordination, concierge support, recovery-friendly hospitality, and curated tourism offerings to ensure a smooth and reassuring travel-to-treatment pathway.” 

Driving Global Visibility and Investor Confidence

The FMTH Programme plays a vital role in reinforcing Malaysia’s international healthcare brand. Its recognition mechanisms provide powerful trust signals, differentiating Malaysian hospitals through quality, service excellence, and strong international brand positioning. These award-winning institutions are expected to elevate Malaysia’s visibility across key strategic markets, including ASEAN, Oceania, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Europe, the United States, and Africa, where demand for high-quality and affordable healthcare continues to expand.

Malaysia’s Rising Momentum in Global Medical Tourism

Malaysia’s medical tourism sector continues to demonstrate strong post-pandemic momentum. In 2024, the country welcomed 1.6 million healthcare travellers, generating RM2.72 billion in revenue—a clear indication of sustained recovery and international confidence in Malaysian healthcare.

Southeast Asian nations remain the largest source markets, driven by geographic proximity, cultural alignment, and longstanding trust in Malaysia’s medical expertise. Collectively, current national initiatives position Malaysia for heightened global attention in 2026, strengthening its competitiveness and accelerating sector-wide growth as the nation prepares to welcome a new wave of international patients.