Dhaka, Mar 2 (bdnews24.com) — Malaysian health minister arrives in Dhaka on Thursday with a hope to herald a new chapter in Kuala Lumpur-Dhaka relations in health sector.

Liow Tiong Lai during his two-day tour will hold talks with his Bangladesh counterpart about the scopes for collaboration and cooperation in the filed.

He will open a two-day Malaysia healthcare exposition at Dhaka Sheraton to display nine hospitals that offer a wide range of healthcare services from screening to complicated surgeries.

At the opening ceremony, Guradian Network in Bangladesh and University of Malay will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sharing telemedicine services.

"Training, research and pharmaceutical development will dominate the talks during the visit," said Mary Wong Lai Lin, chief executive officer of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) at a press conference in the capital on Wednesday.

The MHTC team, now in Dhaka, will visit the pharmaceutical plants of Beximco Ltd on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier, Lai Lin told bdnews24.com in Kuala Lumpur that Malaysia was keen to work together with Bangladesh in healthcare development, ranging from developing infrastructure to conducting clinical trail of drugs.

A health ministry official in Dhaka told bdnews24.com that the ministry had an interest to work with Malaysia in the filed of developing nurses as well as training institute for doctors and other health staff, stem cell banking and management of infertility.

With one nurse per 5,782 people, according to the official, Bangladesh badly needs support from other countries to develop nursing. The ratio is only 1: 600 in Malaysia.

The chief of MHTC that oversees health strategic issues, said Malaysia have a longstanding trusted relationship with Bangladesh, the second largest nation in the 'Malaysia my second home' scheme.

At least 13 specialist doctors are working in different public hospitals in Malaysia while some 7,000 Bangladeshi students are currently studying in different disciplines in Malaysia.

"The relationship will receive a boost in the new endeavour," she said, adding that the process of recognising medical degree from more Bangladeshi medical colleges was in progress.

As of today, Malaysia recognises degrees from four medical colleges — Dhaka Medical College, Mymemsingh Medical College, Chittagonj Medical College and Sylhet Medical College.

Lai Lin also said they already had a meeting with the authorities of the country's lone medical university, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, who sought cooperation for imparting training to medical staffers, including doctors.

Apart from the display of healthcare facilities, seminars on different issues and expert physicians' consultation will focus the Malaysia healthcare expo.

"Our objective is to mutually benefit the health sectors and to facilitate the healthcare services for the citizens of the two friendly nations," Lai Lin said.

Visa processing for Bangladeshi healthcare travellers would be easier and speedy, she said.

Although the healthcare sector in Bangladesh is emerging with lots of potentials, over 500,000 patients seek overseas treatment every year, experts say.

A half of them go to India followed by Bangkok and Singapore.

"Malaysia can be an ideal place for those people as Malaysian hospitals and medical professionals are of global standard," the MHTC chief said, adding that people would get quality care at affordable costs.

Director of Guardian Netwrok Sankar Chandra Podder said they would coordinate with the MHTC team in implementing their activities.

The fair is open for all from 9am to 8pm every day with no entry free.

Source: http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=188722&cid=2

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