MHTC honours Island Hospital with 3 awards, including flagship hospital title

The hospital beat three other finalists after MHTC’s year-long, independently validated assessment.

Island Hospital CEO Lim Kooi Ling (second from right) after receiving the Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital award from Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council CEO Suriaghandi Suppiah (third from right) as health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad (fourth from right) looks on.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 Island Hospital Penang swept three awards at the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council’s (MHTC) awards ceremony today, including the prestigious Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital (FMTH) title.

Island Hospital outperformed Subang Jaya Medical Centre, National Heart Institute and Mahkota Medical Centre after a year-long assessment described by MHTC as “rigorous, independently validated and benchmarked against global standards”.

Island Hospital also received awards for tourism revenue growth and digital innovation in patient services.

MHTC also presented three special awards to Mahkota Medical Centre (Strategic Industry Partnership Leader); Subang Jaya Medical Centre (Brand Distinction Excellence); and National Heart Institute (Medical Excellence & Medical Technology Distinction).

The ceremony was officiated by health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad, who said the FMTH initiative reflected Malaysia’s ambition to be a leader in global medical tourism by recognising private hospitals that demonstrated excellence in clinical outcomes, safety, patient experience and international branding.

MHTC CEO Suriaghandi Suppiah said the FMTH programme had strengthened Malaysia’s competitiveness, with participating hospitals undergoing clinical audits, safety reviews, digital maturity assessments and evaluations of governance and branding.

He said the four finalists collectively recorded a 75% increase in healthcare travel revenue between October 2024 and September 2025, supported by RM1.4 billion in investments since 2019. They also achieved 11 centres of excellence certifications and published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers.

Malaysia welcomed 1.6 million healthcare travellers in 2024, generating RM2.72 billion in revenue – a 21% rise from the previous year, he added.

“These results show that Malaysia’s private healthcare providers are not just improving – they are accelerating,” said Suriaghandi.

He said the industry’s growth would continue to create jobs, attract foreign investment and raise healthcare standards for Malaysians through stronger clinical teams.

Dzulkefly, meanwhile, said the country had set a target of RM3 billion in revenue from 2.5 million healthcare travellers this year.

He said the sector’s continued expansion would support the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 campaign, which aims to strengthen the country’s position as a preferred destination for international patients. - FMT