STB PLANS HEALTH TOURISM PUSH

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) is strategically planning to establish a Health Tourism Committee to position the state as an emerging destination in Southeast Asia’s health tourism sector.

STB Chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai made the proposal in a meeting on Thursday with the pro tem committee of the Sabah Health Tourism Council (SHTC), led by Dr. Anil Kumar.

He stated that the proposed Health Tourism Committee should include health professionals, hotel associations and airlines to provide expert input that would complement STB’s promotional initiatives.

The proposed committee’s responsibilities include formulating a clear and practical framework to promote and market Sabah as a health tourism destination and support its ongoing development.

Also present were STB Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit and SHTC pro tem committee members, including Commonwealth Pharmacists Association Vice-President Datuk Nancy Ho and KPJ Sabah General Manager Mohamad Faizal Mohamed.

During the meeting, the committee highlighted the need for more concerted efforts to raise Sabah’s profile in this niche industry, including collaborating with STB to maximise its potential.

They also emphasised the importance of formalising SHTC’s status under the state government as a crucial step to gain the necessary momentum and support for health tourism initiatives.

Joniston expressed his support, acknowledging the critical role of government recognition in securing the necessary backing for health tourism development in Sabah.

“The Chief Minister himself has spoken about Sabah’s potential to excel in health tourism, which is a positive sign for advancing these efforts.

“We have medical expertise and sought-after treatments, and with Sabah’s well-known natural attractions that can be leveraged for health tourism, it’s time for us to move forward,” he said.

He then advised the pro tem committee to solidify the council’s structure, with plans to present the matter for further discussion at the next STB board meeting.

Meanwhile, Dr. Anil said Sabah has several medical centres with state-of-the-art facilities, such as Gleneagles, KPJ Medical Centre, and Jesselton Medical Centre, which offer comprehensive health screening and treatment for a variety of ailments.

“Medical centres in Sabah also offer competitive fees and comparatively cheaper,” he said, adding that neighbouring Indonesia and Brunei are potential markets for medical tourism.

Dr. Anil also said air connectivity from within the region to Kota Kinabalu is crucial to making Sabah a medical tourism destination.