By Christine T
KUCHING, Oct 6: Sarawak’s clean environment and access to natural attractions could give the State an advantage in attracting medical tourists seeking places to recover following treatment, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said patients could spend one to two weeks in hospital, depending on their treatment, before continuing their recovery at hotels in Kuching and later visiting areas such as Sematan, Lundu, and Telok Melano for fresh air and nature-based activities.
“And then, if you need fresh air away from the city, we are developing Sematan and Lundu,” he said during the officiation of a hotel here today.
He said Telok Melano, in particular, offered attractions such as Pulau Talang-Talang, river and sea cruises, turtle-watching, and sport fishing that could complement the recovery experience for medical tourists.
“In other words, after you get your treatment from your hospital, then you go to that area and breathe in fresh air,” he said.
He also highlighted Sarawak’s relatively low pollution levels as an advantage as more people seek healthier environments, particularly after spending time in hospitals.
“We got a lot of oxygen; other places have a lot of carbon,” he said, adding that cities were increasingly facing challenges in maintaining clean air.
Abang Johari said Sarawak’s push for cleaner transportation, including the hydrogen-powered Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system, would further support efforts to maintain a cleaner urban environment.
He also cited Kuching’s recognition as one of the world’s cleanest cities as an advantage Sarawak could leverage in developing its tourism and medical tourism sectors.
In addition, he said that Sarawak is expanding its medical tourism capacity, with major hospitals in Kuching expanding their facilities and new healthcare facilities being established, while nearby hotels cater to patients and their families before and after treatment.
Abang Johari also added that the growing number of quality healthcare facilities could help attract patients from outside Sarawak.
He said the combination of expanding hospitals and nearby hotel accommodation would give patients and their families a more comfortable option to stay in Kuching without having to remain on hospital premises throughout treatment and recovery, and would allow them to explore Kuching as well. — DayakDaily
