31-Mar-15 One out of five patients in Malaysia's private hospitals is expected to turn to the overburdened public healthcare system after a new Goods & Services Tax (GST) is implemented on 1-Apr-15. The Malaysian Medical Association stressed that the shift is expected to be a temporary one lasting three to four months, pending medical insurance top-ups. [image: Saw Siow Feng / Malay Mail Online]

27-Mar-15 In the wake of PT Mitra Keluarga Karyasehat's successful IPO in Jakarta, financial analysts in Indonesia say that publicly-traded companies in the healthcare and hospital sector are set to see a brighter business outlook, as Indonesians are increasingly becoming more concerned about their health, especially the growing middle classes. This trend is supported by various government initiatives. [image: Tempo]

26-Mar-15 Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said drastic measures to facilitate the development of private healthcare are needed, including removing "all obstacles", in an effort to reduce patient overload. The PM also encouraged IT and technology in medical examinations, hospital management, medical records and health insurance. [image: VNA]

23-Mar-15 Healthcare workers in central Russia have threatened to stage a hunger strike to protest against what they describe as "repercussions" against co-workers who demanded better working conditions and higher salaries at previous protests. [image: Sergei Porter / Vedomosti / The Moscow Times]

20-Mar-15 Hanoi's Bach Mai Hospital and GE Healthcare have signed an MOU to introduce a new training programme aimed at improving patient connectivity and clinical decision making. USD250,000 worth of patient monitors provided by GE Healthcare will be used to help train clinicians across the country, in the ER and ICU. [image: Vietnam Investment Review]