Pantai Medical Centre Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IHH Healthcare Malaysia group, signed a MOU with PHB for the development of a new medical block next to the existing Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur complex.
PHB has leased the complex for an initial period of 20 years. With the addition, Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur will become one of the largest private hospitals in Malaysia by 2027, with over 700 beds.
A new phase for private healthcare
Mr. Jean-François Naa, the chief executive officer (CEO) of IHH Healthcare Malaysia, stated, ‘’In line with IHH Healthcare Malaysia’s organic growth strategy to expand the availability of quality healthcare across our network, we are strengthening Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s position as one of the leading private healthcare providers in Malaysia. This will enable us to deliver exceptional care to meet the growing demands of local patients and medical tourists.
IHH’s Role In Privatised Healthcare
IHH represents one of the largest private healthcare providers in Malaysia, with approximately 3000 beds. Their healthcare network encompasses 11 Pantai hospitals, 4 Gleneagles hospitals, and Prince Court Medical Centre. Ancillary services complement these offerings. These include Pantai Integrated Rehab, Premier Integrated Labs and a chain of primary care clinics under Twin Towers Medical Centre.
What To Expect
Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur projects the completion of its new medical block by 2027. Covering 470,000 square feet with over 260 beds, pending regulatory approvals, the new block will feature state-of-the-art facilities for highly specialised care in several subspecialties. These include microsurgeries and hand, ankle/foot, and spine surgeries.
The new block is also designed to accommodate more single beds to meet the increasing demand for individualised patient care. It is also expected to incorporate green building features in view of better energy efficiency and indoor environment quality.
PHB’s Continuous Efforts To Improve Healthcare
Mr Mohamad Damshal Awang Damit, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of PHB, stated that PHB’s long-standing collaboration with Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur since 2011 reflects their commitment to improving economic growth via property investment.
PHB is strategically rebalancing its investments in healthcare, industrial sectors, K-12 schools and data centres to ensure sustainable income. They aim to achieve a RM25 billion asset portfolio by 2030. PHB also added that they are dedicated to providing added value as a monetisation and financial partner. This is to enable collaborators to focus on their core business while efficiently allocating their capital towards primary operations.
Conclusion
Healthcare needs are becoming increasingly diverse as the population continues to grow. There is always a need for more medical facilities and healthcare workers. Furthermore, there is an increasing need for medical centres that provide services encompassing multiple subspecialties. This is because multidisciplinary approaches are necessary in order to treat many medical conditions, especially since non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continue to burden the nation. It is vital that we continue to improve our healthcare system for the sake of the people and the nation’s growth.
