09-Feb-17 The Philippines' Ayala Corp has bought into a medical startup, adding some disruptive technology to its fledgling healthcare operations. The investment vehicle AC Health took a minority stake in Wellbridge Health, which owns the online pharmacy MedGrocer. "The investment of AC Health into MedGrocer fits well with both our pharmacy and health tech aspirations," said Paolo Borromeo, CEO. [image: Nikkei Asian Reveiw]

09-Feb-17 Medical tourism was once a potential key driver of the economy, but it has been increasingly difficult for Singapore to maintain its position due to ever-rising costs. The standard of care is superb. But there is a lack of transparency in private hospital fees, which contain many hidden charges. Foreign patients are put off by the costly accommodation and transport. [image: IMTJ]

07-Feb-17 Singapore-based health technology startup CXA Group, which offers an employee benefits and wellness marketplace platform, has raised USD25 mn in Series B funding in a round led by B Capital Group and EDBI. The SaaS platform uses health screening, lifestyle risks, and data from claims and wearable sensors to predict future premium costs. [image: CXA Group]

01-Feb-17 Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving in 2016. The country is a key destination for medical tourism. In neighboring Thailand, tourism officials said the US ban could lift visitor numbers. "The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector," said Tourism Authority Governor Yuthasak Supasorn. [image: Reuters]

01-Feb-17 Medical tourists are coming to Malaysia, lured by high-quality yet affordable healthcare and the climate. “It’s more lucrative than conventional tourism because healthcare travellers tend to stay longer,” MATTA vice-president S. Jayakumar said. The country welcomed about 850,000 medical tourists in 2015 with revenue of MYR900 mn (USD203 mn) compared with MYR777 mn (USD175 mn) in 2014. [image: The Star]