EMPOWERING WOMEN EVERYWHERE: INTRODUCING THE FRAUPOW WEARABLE BREAST PUMP

As International Women’s Day approaches, so does the second birthday of the Fraupow Wearable Breast Pump, a successful business launched by savvy Mum Sunita Boyes to support women to breastfeed while juggling all the other needs of their busy lives.

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The majority of new Mums will pump breastmilk at some point. Whilst breastfeeding itself is free, the cost of all the accessories that a Mum can accumulate to make breastfeeding convenient and comfortable can quickly add up!

The Fraupow Wearable Pump is a wireless, hands-free breast pump. Designed to be worn inside the bra, it allows busy mums to pump milk whilst getting on with all the other stuff they need to do. Lighter than the leading alternative it weighs in at just 218g, and it also holds 180ml of milk – 30ml more than the competition, meaning that mums can pump greater quantities without having to stop to empty the milk chamber or change bottles. The Fraupow Pump is loaded with features that ensure it keeps up with or beats other pumps, at less than half the price. The new upgraded Fraupow Wearable Pump, which costs £89.99, comes bundled with 3 x 1-2-1 private online consultations with a qualified midwife – worth £140 on their own! At the heart of everything Fraupow does is the aim to support women when they need it the most.

The first 100 Women’s Health readers to order from www. frau pow.com can get 10% off their Wearable Pump and breastfeeding accessories with the code WH10. WORK OUT ON YOUR PERIOD

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Annoyed at getting your period on a beach holiday or on the day of a race? Asan have designed a fantastic new menstrual cup that makes exercising on your period a breeze. Their patented design has a ring for easy removal and holds 3x more than a pad or tampon – it’s so comfortable, you’ll forget you’re on your period. For each cup you buy, we donate one to someone who can’t afford period care. Use code WOMENSHEALTH to get *20% off at www. asancup.com *valid 31/12/23

RAPID ACCESS TO GYNAECOLOGICAL SERVICES AT CROMWELL HOSPITAL

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Common symptoms include frequent bloating, pain or sensitivity in the abdomen, changes to appetite, and increased frequency in urination. Our Women’s Health Centre offers next-day appointments with our expert gynaecologists and rapid access to diagnostics.

Early diagnosis saves lives: cromwell hospital.com/gynaeclinic

HEALTH COACHES ACADEMY

Become a Certified Health Coach in the UK at the highest level with our Qualifi level 5 accredited Health Coaching Diploma Imagine in 12 months being able to be your own boss, start a whole new life and career and make a real difference to people’s health. Imagine being part of the solution to the worldwide health crisis. Having the life, health and well-being you want plus a career that gives you joy and freedom. Health coaches provide a vital new solution to the growing healthcare crisis and work at the heart of lifestyle habit and behaviour change.

You’ll be trained in how to effectively support people to transform their health by some of the top Health Coaching and Nutrition Experts worldwide.

Helping people to transform their health and improve their lives is one of the most rewarding careers you could possibly have. Train with the UK’S most experienced Health Coaching & Nutrition team.

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MATTRESSMAN – BRITAIN’S BIGGEST MATTRESS SPECIALIST

Mattressman is passionate about everything sleep, reflected in their extensive range of 8000 premium bed frames, mattresses and bedding accessories at prices that reflect fantastic value from recognisable and trusted brands, including Silentnight and Relyon, among others. Mattressman has enhanced the nation’s sleep since 2004, with their sleep experts providing impartial and tailored advice online and in their showrooms across the country.

In conjunction with their commitment to everything sleep, Mattressman recognises the fundamental need to take proactive measures towards the preservation of our planet and, alongside their zero-landfill disposal service in which, they can responsibly dispose of customers’ bed frames and mattresses to combat discarded bedroom furniture, Mattressman has partnered with Ecologi to reduce carbon emissions. Ecologi will plant a tree for every product sold by Mattressman in-store or online to help reduce carbon emissions. Mattressman’s environmental commitment can be seen throughout its product range too; for example, the Airsprung collection incorporates environmentally friendly materials into their mattresses, such as the mattress’s sleeping side, which is created from 100% ocean-bound plastic collected from within 50 kilometres of the coast and waterways in regions with underdeveloped waste or recycling systems, or a comfort layer that is comprised of 80% plush, cosy recyclable polyester.

Mattressman is regarded as a company that embodies everything National Bed Month stands for, with a passion for creating comfortable and supportive sleeping solutions accessible for the nation regardless of sleeping requirements, preferences and budget.

How much does it cost to get a penile implant in India?

What is a penile implant?

Penile implant surgery is a technique that helps men who have failed to respond to previous treatments for erectile dysfunction. During the surgery, flexible rods are implanted into the penis. These adjustable rods require a saline-filled instrument and pump implanted in the scrotum. This device improves a man’s erection and restores sexual function. This surgery is often performed on men who have failed to respond to previous ED treatments. The majority of men who had the procedure were impressed with the results.

Penile implant cost in India

Penile implant surgery cost in Delhi, Mumbai or other locations may vary, depending on the type of hospital and city you choose. Penile implant cost in Hyderabad ranges between Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 2,50,000.

Who is a suitable candidate for a penile implant?

This technique is best for men with erectile dysfunction caused by a medical condition.
If sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra), and avanafil (Avanafil) (Stendra) give an adequate erection during sexual intercourse.
If you have used a penis pump before (vacuum narrowing device).
If you have Peyronie’s disease that is not responding to alternative therapies.

How is a penile implant performed?

Abdominoplasty includes the following steps:

The operation can be performed under spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia.
Shave the area before surgery. An intravenous (IV) line is used to give antibiotics or other medications, while a catheter is used to collect urine.
In your lower abdomen or at the base of your penis, or just below the tip of your penis, the surgeon makes an incision.
The penile tissue, which would normally fill blood during an erection. Next, the two inflated cylinders are inserted into the penis.
The saline solution, valve, and pump are placed in the scrotum if you choose a two-piece inflatable device, but with a three-piece device, the fluid is inserted under the abdominal wall, and the pump is placed in the scrotum.

What are the types of penile implants?

Although there are non-surgical treatments for erectile dysfunction (ED), including medication, vacuum assistive devices, lifestyle modifications, exercise, and psychological counseling, not all men get the same successful results. Many ED patients consider getting a Penile Implant Surgery when these treatments don’t work for them. A penile prosthesis is a medically implanted device that helps a patient achieve an erection. Three types of implants are often used:

Three-piece inflation pump
Two-piece inflation pump
Semi-rigid or malleable rods

Our surgeons

At EDTreatmentIndia, we have the best team of doctors and surgeons who provide comprehensive care and treatment for patients.

Why choose EDTreatmentIndia

EDTreatmentIndia is the best multi-specialty hospital providing 24/7 comprehensive care and treatment by constantly pushing lengths of care and quality to achieve better patient outcomes. We have advanced techniques and experienced urologists and urological surgeons who perform penile implant surgery procedures with highly successful results.

Contact : +91 94038 21740 (Whatsapp)

Email: info@edtreatmentindia.com

Know what to expect from a penile prosthesis

Dear Dr. Vineet Malhotra: Can you discuss penile implants? I haven’t had success with other treatments for erectile dysfunction.

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Answer: Medications, injectable drugs and devices such as vacuum pumps can effectively help most men who cannot get or maintain an erection. In particular, the three different pills for erectile dysfunction (ED) are effective about 70 percent of the time. Have you talked with your doctor about increasing the dose of the medicines you have taken? And has your doctor done tests to determine the cause of your erectile dysfunction?

If these treatments haven’t helped you, consider a penile implant (also called a penile prosthesis). Penile implants allow you to have an erection at any time — and maintain it for as long as you want.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of implants:

Inflatable implants. Three-piece implants consist of a fluid-filled reservoir in the abdomen, a pump with a release valve in the scrotum and two inflatable cylinders in the penis. Squeezing the pump transfers fluid from the reservoir into the cylinders, causing an erection. Pushing the release valve drains the fluid back into the abdominal reservoir. In two-piece implants, fluid-filled reservoirs are in the rear portion of the cylinders; the pump is in the scrotum. Bending the penis returns the fluid to the reservoir.

Semirigid, or malleable, rods. As the name implies, this type of implant consists of bendable rods. The rods are bent upward to have sex and pointed down to conceal the penis under clothing.

Most patients choose an inflatable device because the penis looks more natural than with semirigid rods. One downside to inflatable implants is the risk of mechanical trouble that may require surgical repair. Most devices last 10 years or longer.

Malleable devices have pros and cons, too. They are easier to manipulate than inflatable implants and are simpler to insert surgically. But because the rods always remain firm, their presence is harder to conceal.

(I’ve put illustrations of penile implants and a detailed list of advantages and disadvantages of each type on my website, EDTreatmentIndia.com.)

You and your partner are more likely to be satisfied with the results if you know what to expect from a penile implant. If possible, meet with the doctor together before surgery. Make sure you understand the risks and benefits of the procedure and how the device works.

In the days before pills were available for erectile dysfunction, a number of my patients tried penile implants. They were uniformly skeptical when first presented with the idea, but most were glad they tried it. Since then, the devices have become even smaller and easier to use. Still, I haven’t recommended one of these devices in a decade, because simpler approaches have worked.

Dr. Vineet Malhotra is a urologist with 17+ years of experience. Best Urologist in Delhi for Kidney Stone Treatment, Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Implants treatments for Contact Whatsapp : +91 94038 21740 Email : info@edtreatmentindia.com

4 important HEALTH CHECKS TO BOOK IN YOUR FORTIES

FOR MANY, TURNING 40 REPRESENTS AN EMPOWERING NEW DECADE – BUT IT ALSO SERVES AS A REMINDER TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR HEALTH. THESE ARE THE APPOINTMENTS NOT TO MISS

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1 – NHS HEALTH CHECKS How often?

Every five years

You’ll complete a questionnaire, have a blood test, get weighed and have measurements taken. ‘You’ll then be advised on your cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes risk, as well as lifestyle factors,’ explains Dr Verity Biggs, women’s health lead at H3 Health. ‘Conditions such as high cholesterol don’t always present with symptoms early on, so testing can identify your risk of them.’

2 – CERVICAL SCREENING How often?

Every three years between 25-49, then every five until 64

‘Cervical is the most common cancer in younger women, so it’s important to book a test when you are invited,’ says Dr Biggs. Don’t let the regularity of your smears lapse over time. And if you’ve never had one before, turning 40 should be your motivation to bite the bullet. If you notice any unusual symptoms between appointments, don’t hang about – book a check-up with your GP or practice nurse immediately for peace of mind.

3 – VISITS TO THE DENTIST How often?

Every six months

‘Dental appointments are about more than honing your brushing technique – they can detect signs of oral cancers,’ says Dr Biggs. ‘Your dentist can also assess your hygiene habits, and offer advice for protecting your teeth.’

4 – EYE TESTS How often?

Every two years

‘This is not just about new glasses, but also to check for issues such as cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic eye disease,’ Dr Biggs says. ‘Vision changes with age, so you might find you’re unable to focus on nearby objects, which is caused by a condition called presbyopia.’ This normally occurs from 40, so regular tests are crucial. ‘Menopause can also cause dry eyes,’ adds Dr Biggs – another reason to have regular tests.

Food with a view where summer vibes hit the right notes

On one of the warmest evenings of the year, dinner at Oliveto in the Haddington Hotel turned out to be a good idea. The dining room overlooks Dublin Bay and Dun Laoghaire’s East Pier. Not only that, but there’s good cooking in this heavily Italian-accented restaurant; and, let’s face it, that’s not common in hotels.

Executive chef Barry O’Neill comes from Bastible, now Michelinstarred, and Clanbrassil House. Add to that the fact that Oliveto is a favourite pit-stop of outstanding chef Mark Moriarty. All reassuring.

It’s a big, busy, very familyfriendly restaurant and our dinner featured, as one would expect, some ace dishes.

When we tried to order the

Andarl Farm coppa – cured neck of pork from a superb Mayo free-range farm – our waiter steered us firmly but gently towards an unlisted special: bresaola made in-house (€12). Boy, were we glad he did. This traditional Italian dish of thinly sliced cured beef was outstanding, way beyond anything that comes in even the most expensive packet.

It was served with gossamer miniature toasts, so thin they were filigree, with pickled mushrooms, dots of mayo and a little grated summer truffle. Simply perfect in balance and in execution.

Pan-fried squid (€13) was tender and nutty, served with the sharp, spicy hit of fermented chilli sauce and a little lemon and garlic mayo: a very pleasant change from usual, lazy and hackneyed ways with this creature of the deep. I’m still thinking of that fermented chilli in a Homer Simpson-ish way.

Risotto of courgette and basil

(€13) was less successful. Risotto in a restaurant is challenging, of course, and while this one scored reasonably on texture – maybe a 6.5/10 – and colour, a bright green, it was light on flavour. Which is a problem with even the freshest courgettes, and these were definitely of the freshest, including a bright orange flower.

Main courses followed and the star here was from Andarl Farm, in the form of a very slow-cooked shoulder of pork (€27), one of the best bits for flavour if you give it the time it needs. The gravy, or jus as the ‘menuspeak’ has it, was as good as the melting flesh, its distinct sweetness imparted by a pine syrup and apple. This could have been overwhelming and over-rich, but it was very carefully judged and hugely successful, down to the foils of earthy baby turnip and colourful chard. It was a composition.

Squid ink tagliolini (€26) came with lovely sweet little mussels (as against the clams as mentioned on the menu) and fresh Irish crab meat, the whole thing bound together with a light sauce of smoked tomato. Pleasantly savoury – and a little too much on the cool side – this was a dish that didn’t really hang together with none of the lead materials, even the smoked tomato, getting the opportunity to really sing. Was it any hardship, though? No, not at all, but a potentially interesting target was missed. I was somewhat amused by

OUR BRESAOLA STARTER WAS SIMPLY PERFECT IN BALANCE AND IN EXECUTION

the mention of ‘summer tomato’, prompting the question, ‘what other sort is worth cooking with?’ The little tomatoes in question were very good in their own right. I did miss the clams, though. Could they have made all the difference? Possibly.

Whatever about such quibbles, there’s a generosity to the food at Oliveto that left us fit for no more at this stage and we were happy just to have a rest and ordered a brace of espressos. However, our charming waiter insisted on presenting us each with a scoop of divine sorbet: orange and elderflower. The orange element was so bracingly citrussy and attractively bitter that, at first, we thought it might be grapefruit. The elderflower, so often a bit of a thug in asserting itself, was completely buried but we couldn’t give a hoot. This was the perfect palate-cleanser at the end of a rich meal. Sorbets don’t get better than this. Oh, and the texture was spot on, even with a room temperature somewhere in the mid-20s.

Coffee was spot on too, worthy of a bar in Milan. We were still getting a hit almost an hour later.

Oliveto is no bog standard trattoria and no ordinary hotel restaurant. Although not every element in our meal hit the high notes, the high notes that were hit were impressive and memorable.

It has rapidly established itself as a destination, which is handy as the Dart station is within easy walking distance. I should add that Oliveto also has a very strong local reputation for pizza and what I saw of what was on offer looked seriously seductive. There’s a lot of outside seating too.

Well-wishers raise funds for Byo girl (5) in need of heart surgery

A BULAWAYO family got a shot in the arm when well-wishers chipped in to raise US$2 500 needed for its daughter’s heart surgery in India.

Mazvitaishe Mukwanda (5) was suffering from congenital heart disease, which required urgent surgery in India.

After the family appealed through Chronicle, funds started pouring in from well-wishers and the girl was successfully operated on May 27.

The girl, who is an ECD pupil at a local school, had two holes in her heart, which could possibly have resulted in a heart attack.

Sharing her joy yesterday, her mother Mrs Memory Mukwanda said she was at peace as her child was now recovering at home.

“We would like to thank the Chronicle and all members of the public, known and unknown who helped us during our time of need,” she said.

“After the article was published, we started receiving money from all over and managed to travel to India on

May 22.

“The love and care we received is heavenly and we know that it was not our doing but God smiled on us. May God bless everyone who helped and prayed for us because the operation was successful, Mazvitaishe is back home and recovering.”

Mrs Mukwanda said doctors confirmed that the holes in Mazvitaishe’s heart have been fixed and that she can live a normal life like other children.

“We know that people sometimes ask for help and do not get it but we remain grateful for the assistance we got, may God bless them all,” she said.

“It gives me peace to see my daughter living a normal life without constant hospital visits.

I am truly happy as she could have died before this surgery.”

In Zimbabwe children with congenital heart diseases could only access lifesaving treatment in South Africa or India until recently when a paediatric cardiac centre was set up at Mpilo Central Hospital.

Although it is headed by one of the two paediatric cardiologists in Zimbabwe Dr Davidzo MurigoShumba, some surgeries still cannot be accessed locally due to lack of equipment as was the case for Mazvitaishe Mukwanda.

It is estimated that the services, which are not accessible locally cost about US$10 000 excluding travel and accommodation costs.

A number of affected children have lost their lives in search of the services as charges are beyond the reach of ordinary Zimbabweans.

Dubai sets stage for medical tourists

Linda Abdullah Ali Ruhi, Consultant, Health Tourism Department, Dubai Health Authority, highlights the progress in the medical tourism sector.

What was the value of medical expenditures in 2018?

Medical expenditures from visiting international health tourists surpassed AED 1.163 billion in 2018 due to visiting numbers exceeding 337,011.

From which destinations are tourists visiting Dubai?

From Arab and GCC countries, 33 per cent of patients were from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Thirty per cent who visited were from Asia, mainly from India, Iran and Pakistan; whilst the 16 per cent of European tourists consisted mostly of UK, French and Italian citizens.

Elaborate on the recent growth in healthcare facilities

In addition to the significant growth in the number of tourists, there has been a 9 per cent increase in health facilities that have been verified and added to the health tourism DXH Group member programme. Our electronic portal for health tourism, dxh.ae, now lists more than 600 packages from 72 healthcare establishments – including 18 hospitals and 54 specialties centres.

What are the facilities provided for medical tourism visitors?

Through the establishment of visa facilities, Dubai Health Experience has elevated the emirate’s profile as a competitive hub for global and regional medical tourism services and business expansion initiatives alike. The emirate offers a medical tourism visa of 90 days, in line with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, which is renewable for an extra 30 days depending on the procedure and case of the individual patient. Furthermore, medical tourism visas and related travel insurance is also issued within 48 hours of registration at any visa facility.

The emirate offers a medical tourism visa of 90 days, in line with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, which is renewable for an extra 30 days

Council mooted to place sabah on medical tourism map

A plan is on the table to market Sabah as a destination for medical tourism with the proposed establishment of the Sabah Health and Wellness Tourism Council (SHWTC).

The move is being promoted by the council’s pro-tem chairman, Dr Anil Kumar, who said he hopes to work with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB).

At a recent meeting with Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Dr Anil said SHWTC is intended to be a one-stop centre for medical tourism and related matters.

He added that SHWTC will provide the drive and focus needed to place Sabah’s health and wellness tourism on the world stage.

“We have the infrastructure and facilities. It will be a new market as far as tourism is concerned and will generate high revenue.

“We want to collaborate with the Sabah Tourism Board on how we can effectively promote this area and attract people from neighbouring countries, particularly the Brunei-indonesia-malaysia-philippines East Asean Growth Area,” he added.

Dr Anil also invited Joniston, who chairs STB, to be SHWTC adviser.

Joniston said STB will work closely with members of the local medical community to make Sabah a destination of choice for healthcare tourism.

“Other states like Penang and Melaka already have their state healthcare tourism councils, so the move is timely. This is also in line with STB’S efforts to attract high-end travellers.

“We’ve had success in other sectors of tourism such as rural tourism and there’s no reason why Sabah can’t do the same in medical tourism.

“We must work closely together to achieve this goal, develop strategic plans to promote healthcare services here and look at prospective target markets, especially when Nusantara is set to become Indonesia’s new capital,” he added.

STB chief executive officer Noredah Othman said it is already promoting the state’s medical tourism through the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council.

“We will be happy to collaborate with SHTWC to conduct a workshop for tourism players to increase their awareness on medical tourism offerings in the state.”

Malaysia is on the right track when it comes to improving its healthcare tourism numbers.

THINGS are looking up for Malaysia’s healthcare tourism industry, thanks to the full reopening of its international borders from April 1.

Economists expect the country’s economy to rebound this year as it transitions to the endemic phase, with tourism-related industries poised to emerge from their two-year doldrums.

Analysts said the healthcare tourism sector should seek the best way to recoup its losses, especially when the Malaysia Year of Healthcare Travel (MYHT2020) international campaign was deferred during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the campaign, the healthcare tourism segment was targeted to generate Rm2bil of revenue from medical tourists and a spillover of Rm6bil in medical receipts in 2020.

Since the border reopening, Malaysia has witnessed a surge in foreign tourist arrivals and bookings for holiday packages, which augured well for the economy.

A lecturer from Universiti Teknologi MARA’S Faculty of Hotel & Tourism Management in Penang, Assoc Prof Dr Azila Azmi, said the nation’s healthcare segment is set to bounce back in line with the revival of global tourism.

She said all signs are pointing to strong growth in domestic tourism, hence industry players need only to take several approaches to ensure they return to pre-covid-19 recovery.

“Malaysia is recognised as one of the top medical travel destinations in the world. As proof, the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has had a string of international accolades since 2011, among others the Asia Pacific Healthcare and Medical Tourism Award for 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021. The MHTC also bagged the International Medical Travel Journal award from 2015 to 2020.

“Nine out of 15 categories were won by Malaysian health service providers. MHTC also won the Health and Medical Tourism 2018 award for the second consecutive year.

“This shows MHTC’S capability as an agency tasked to facilitate and promote the healthcare travel industry of Malaysia,” she said.

The rebound in healthcare tourism is reflected in the tourist arrivals, with 2019 alone recording 1.3 million medical tourists.

Of the total, 60% were from Indonesia, followed by China, India and other South-east Asian nations.

According to Azila, high quality services, competitive medical fees and accessibility to modern medical facilities are among the contributing factors that have placed Malaysia as one of the preferred medical healthcare destinations.

“Global air connectivity drives tourism, and in this case, Malaysia’s location and accessibility by international airlines, are factors which brought tourists to the country. All these are indicators of Malaysia’s significance in global tourism and the reopening of the nation’s borders is a step in the right direction, allowing us to return to the ‘old normal’,” she added.

She believes that the healthcare tourism sector in Malaysia can return to the heyday of mass travels before the pandemic, noting that industry players should reinvent their marketing strategies to boost tourists’ confidence.

“Industry players should be cognisant of the security issue. This is based on the World Travel and Tourism Council survey which showed that Covid-19 has changed travel preferences.

“Tourists are weighing in new factors when planning to travel. They will be looking out for tourist destinations which can offer them comfort, safety and reliability. In other words, they give top priority to security and protection aspects,” she added.

As such, she said, security assurance should be top priority.

“Patients who seek treatment for their illness need to feel comfortable, without having to worry about the risks of infection from Covid-19 during their stay in Malaysia. This should be given top priority as the virus is still with us and the rate of infection and levels of severity of each individual are different,” she added.

Besides that, Azila said most travellers now prefer contactless transactions as part of a safe and seamless travel experience.

“This is in line with the government’s aspiration of creating a smart tourism city in every state,” she noted.

Industry players, said Azila, should continue with their marketing approach of attracting tourists virtually as well as through faceto-face promotion.

“Outpatient care through e-pharmacy (online pharmacy) and virtual therapy have proven to be effective platforms as they save time and energy for customers. Medical tourists are likely to seek face-to-face treatment after receiving virtual therapy or consultancy.

“However, the virtual platform should be customer-friendly and time-saving. At the same time, clients should not be subject to a conundrum of bureaucratic processes,” she said.

Malaysia should also intensify promotion efforts in the healthcare tourism industry via online, improve efficiency in application processes and screening of international patients as well as strengthen collaboration with the relevant authorities to help turnaround the industry.

On tourist arrivals to the country, Azila said Malaysia expects the number of tourists to increase in tandem with current conditions. “While the pandemic engulfed almost every country across the globe in 2020, Malaysia was still able to record visitor arrivals of about 4.33 million. A small figure, yet reasonable,” she said.

Malaysia is renowned among international patients who seek treatment for various services such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), cardiology, oncology, orthopaedic, neurology and general health screening.

Among the sought after medical procedures are aesthetic and cosmetic treatments, such as cosmetic surgery, dental treatment, such as fitting a new crown and teeth whitening, laser eye surgery (lasik) as well as wart and mole removal.

Azila said many aesthetic treatment clinics have sprung up across the country. While Thailand is renowned for its aesthetic treatment industry, Malaysia has an edge over its neighbour in attracting medical tourists, especially Muslims.

Hence existing tourism packages need to be further improved in keeping with the latest trends, taking into account medical tourists’ preferences.

“Existing healthcare service packages can improve value for patients by providing other wellness services such as the traditional Malay massage at spa or reflexology centres.

“With this kind of treatment, medical tourists will feel relaxed and rejuvenated and will regard it as a self-reward for them after completing their official medical session,” she said, adding that the diverse health and beauty treatment packages can give the hard-hit wellness tourism entrepreneurs a breath of fresh air.

Former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik is also optimistic that recovery is on the horizon for the medical tourism sub-sector in the country.

Malaysia, he said, has the expertise in medical tourism and its healthcare treatments are easily available at competitive prices.

However, healthcare tourism entrepreneurs need the support from other parties especially transport industry players to ensure a seamless journey for international travellers to Malaysia, he added.

“Tourist arrivals including medical travellers are influenced by several factors such as flight availability (seat capacity). In this respect, airline authorities should work together in increasing the number of flights to tourism destinations such as Medan and Jakarta.

“At the same time, the industries involved should explore the tourism potential of selected locations jointly with industry players,” he said.

In welcoming the move to ease the entry process for travellers to Malaysia, he said this would encourage more tourists especially from India and China to visit the country.

Malaysia, he stressed should tap fully the current trends in healthcare tourism as every medical visitor has the potential to spend three times the amount spent by regular tourists, including MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) participants.