Prime Bank, MHTC, Irving Aviation jointly ease medical travel to Malaysia

Dhaka : Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, Prime Bank PLC and Irving Aviation Limited have signed a three-way cooperation agreement aimed at making overseas medical treatment in Malaysia easier to arrange for patients from Bangladesh.

The agreement was signed September 22 during an event held at Crowne Plaza Dhaka, bringing together organizations from the healthcare, banking and travel sectors to coordinate services for Bangladeshi medical travelers.

The partnership is intended to cover several stages of the patient journey, including finding appropriate hospitals and treatment options, arranging travel, obtaining visa assistance and handling medical payments.

Under the agreement, MHTC will connect Bangladeshi patients with Malaysian hospitals and healthcare providers while providing information about available treatments and potential care pathways.

Dato' Suriagandhi Suppiah, chief executive officer of MHTC, said the collaboration combines the capabilities of the three organizations to make healthcare travel more coordinated.

Irving Aviation, MHTC's local partner in Bangladesh, will assist patients with travel arrangements, air tickets, visa support and initial inquiries about medical services, according to Tajria Rahman Rishta, the company's head of business development.

Prime Bank will support healthcare-related financial transactions and examine payment options for customers receiving treatment in Malaysia. The bank may also offer card-based benefits or discounts, subject to applicable conditions.

M. Nazeem A. Choudhury, additional managing director of Prime Bank, said the bank would explore payment solutions aimed at making overseas healthcare expenses easier for customers to manage.

The signing ceremony was also attended by Hazwan Hasnol, chargé d'affaires at the High Commission of Malaysia in Bangladesh, along with representatives of the participating organizations and other stakeholders.

The partners said the arrangement is expected to strengthen healthcare links between Bangladesh and Malaysia by bringing medical, travel and financial services into a more coordinated process.