IPOH, Oct 28 — Perak is on the right track in its aim to become a health tourism destination as there is an increasing number of private hospitals in the state offering expertise in various specialised fields, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

He said in Ipoh alone, there are seven private hospitals in operation, including KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital.

"God willing, we are expecting two more private hospitals to be completed and operational soon, including Sunway Medical Centre in Tambun, Quill Medical Centre on Jalan Sultan Nazrin Shah which is under construction, and Seri Botani Hospital which started operations in March,” he told a press conference after opening the Stroke Centre at KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital and unveiling the Elekta Versa HD Linear Accelerator (Linac) machine here today.

The inauguration marked KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital as the first private stroke centre in Perak.

Also present was KPJ Healthcare Berhad president and managing director Chin Keat Chyuan.

Saarani said health tourism would be a significant attraction during Visit Perak Year (VPY) 2024, targeting health tourists from Indonesia and Singapore.

Besides the stroke centre at KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital, the National Neuro-Robotics and Cybernics Rehabilitation Centre, currently under development by the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) in Bandar Meru Raya, will provide a comprehensive hub for stroke rehabilitation treatment, he added.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Saarani said the Linac service at KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital can help patients save costs as they no longer need to travel far to places like Kuala Lumpur and Penang for treatment.

Chin said as the first private stroke centre in Perak, it offers staff skilled in stroke care, including emergency specialists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation experts and trained physiotherapists.

He added that the Linac machine is capable of killing cancer cells more accurately and quickly. — Bernama