Medical Tourism - Penang

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http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/10/1/north/4795292&sec=North

AllMalaysia. info Thursday October 1, 2009
Penang expands market for medical tourism
By TUNKU SHAHARIAH

PENANG is set to become a world-renowned medical tourism hub with Europe, the United States and Papua New Guinea emerging as new potential markets.

State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said the state’s medical tourism was currently well known among regional tourists from the Asean and the Middle East markets.

He said tourists from western countries were attracted to the medical tourism industry here as they would only be paying about a fifth of the total medical costs in their respective countries.

“We plan to expand the market to cater to tourists from Europe where surgery fees are exorbitant compared to our rates.

“For instance, a tooth extraction may cost about RM6,000 in Europe while over here, the Europeans only need to pay less than RM1,000,” he told reporters at the ‘World Tourism Day’ press conference at Traders Hotel in Penang on Sunday.

Law said the expansion plan was timely as the state had eight private hospitals equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and top specialists whose competency was at par with their international counterparts.

Law also said Penang’s medical tourism turnover was RM171mil last year and that the state hoped to achieve a RM180mil turnover this year.

“There’s a huge potential in medical tourism and the state’s investment arm, investPenang, has plans to build another hospital on the island to cater to the thriving medical tourism industry.”

He also said that apart from coming to the state to seek medical attention, the tourists could also enjoy hawker and gourmet food in Penang, as well as the heritage sites, shopping and night life as “Penang has it all”.

End of News ....( I didn't know it costs that much for tooth extraction here in Pg!! )

BB

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Wow. That's expensive for a tooth extraction. I had a friend who recently had one extracted for RM50 and she's still alive.

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Ya, I was so surprised by the cost this guy quoted to reporters at the ‘World Tourism Day’ press conference. Maybe it's not for a simple extraction but includes treatment of complications that arose! 
Also does it cost RM6,000 for tooth extraction in Europe???

BB

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That report makes no sense.
Last month I had a molar extracted here in Canada and it cost CDN$176 or MYR560.

David

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Indeed total nonsense. There seem te be a lot of strange ideas of the west and westerners here in Malaysia.
Some research would do the trick. They would also find out that most of them don't want to live in "supercondo's" but in cheaper/smaller housing with good facilities.

Maybe we should start a threath "misconceptions of the west" 

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I agree. Most Malaysians  believe Westerners are all millionaires and everything in the West is cheap. They know nothing of the high cost of living and are shocked to learn how much money we pay in taxes and are still paying, even while we are living here.

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RM6000 to extract a tooth? Not in the UK. The maximum NHS charge for a complex course of treatment (if you are not exempt completely) is £198 and most courses of treatment cost much less. Unfortunately many people are unable to find a NHS dentist who does not have a waiting list for new patients.
The cost of a private extraction could be around £100 up to £175 for a wisdom tooth but you could pay a lot less if you flew to say Hungary where it can be up to 70% cheaper, even taking into account flights and hotel. In fact almost anywhere else in Europe is cheaper than the UK for private dentistry.
I have had private dentistry in Thailand and been very pleased with it and I am also having a crown fitted here in KL. 

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Maybe we should start a threath "misconceptions of the west" 

I already started one earlier this month....

http://www.my2home.info/index.php/topic,824.0.html

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I already started one earlier this month....

http://www.my2home.info/index.php/topic,824.0.html

I mean they other way around. Not what westerners are thinking of the east but what easterners think of the west.
Anyway was meant as a little joke...
Or should it be "Misconceptions to the west"?
Please bear with me English is only my second language.

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Oh don't apologise.  In fact I am probably grammatically incorrect - should probably be Misconceptions from the West on my original thread.  I'm just an O-level gal.  That's my excuse anyway.  If there's any learned English scholars out there, do help us out.

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How about "Asian's misconceptions of the West"?

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How about "Asian's misconceptions of the West"?

That sounds perfect! Maybe Scott can put this in the new threath?