21-Oct-16 A total MYR25 bn (USD6 bn) has been allocated by the Malaysian government in the 2017 Budget to boost the health of the people and the quality of healthcare in the country. The allocation is for numerous programmes, including building and upgrading of new hospitals and clinics in Perlis, Kuching, Mukah, Jempol, Muar and Johor Bahru. [image: Saw Siow Feng]

21-Oct-16 Paras Healthcare plans to launch a 220-bed specialty hospital and cancer center in Panchkula, India. The hospital will be the second healthcare facility launched in Panchkula by Paras Group. [image: Healthcare Design]

20-Oct-16 Singapore's Health Ministry has launched a manpower plan to attract more Singaporeans to take up careers in the healthcare industry. The Ministry estimates that 30,000 more healthcare workers would be needed by 2020 to meet the demands of an ageing population. More doctors are also being trained, with a 30 percent increase in family medicine trainees expected by 2019. [image: Sherlyn Goh / Channel News Asia]

20-Oct-16  Indonesia is at risk of being unable to cater for growing demand for healthcare, as most hospitals have yet to meet service-quality requirements. Only 308 hospitals in Indonesia, or 20.8 percent of the total nationwide, have been accredited by the National Hospital Accreditation Committee (KARS) since 2012, when accreditation was introduced.  [image: Wikipedia]

20-Oct-16 The first Japanese private hospital has opened in Cambodia, aimed to reduce the flow of Cambodian patients to neighboring countries. The hospital provides a 52-bed health service with more than 100 staff, of whom 30% are Japanese. Some 150,000 Cambodians travel abroad annually for health treatment, spending around USD600 mn. Vietnam and Thailand are their main destinations. [image: KYODO / The Japan Times]