By Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil
JAKARTA, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is seeking to attract more Indonesian healthcare tourists through the Malaysia Healthcare Expo (MHX) Jakarta 2026 by expanding access to information on medical treatment options and healthcare services available in the country.
Malaysia's Ambassador-designate to Indonesia Datuk Muzafar Shah Mustafa said the expo reflected Malaysia's continued commitment to engaging with the Indonesian public, bringing together 21 Malaysian hospitals and two state tourism agencies from Selangor and Sarawak.
“The organisation of MHX Jakarta 2026 reflects Malaysia's continued commitment to reaching out to the Indonesian public and expanding access to information on quality healthcare service options,” he said in his remarks before opening the expo here on Friday.
Organised by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), the expo runs from Oct 15 to 18 at Central Park Mall in West Jakarta, featuring Malaysian hospitals alongside Tourism Selangor and Sarawak Tourism Board.
The four-day event offers free consultations, information on medical treatments and opportunities for second opinions, covering specialties such as internal medicine, orthopaedic surgery, cardiology, oncology and gastroenterology.
Muzafar said trust remained central to healthcare tourism, with patients considering medical expertise, safety, treatment costs, flight connectivity and service quality when seeking treatment abroad.
He said healthcare tourism also strengthened Malaysia-Indonesia ties by offering Indonesians treatment options while creating opportunities for cooperation between healthcare institutions and industry stakeholders.
He said MHTC continued to promote Malaysia's healthcare tourism sector through international partnerships, supported by the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 campaign, themed “Healing Meets Hospitality”, and Visit Malaysia 2026-2027.
Malaysia attracted 1.85 million healthcare tourists in 2025, generating RM3.35 billion in revenue, reflecting international patients' confidence in the country's healthcare services, he added.
-- BERNAMA