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Monday Star November 11th 2002
To Penang for surgery and a holiday
EDITED BY SIOW YUEN CHING and CATHERINE CHONG
ABOUT 120 women from Britain, the United States and the Netherlands
have expressed interest in the cosmetic surgery-cum-holiday
package in Penang since the programmed was introduced three
months ago.
Medi Travels managing director Marloes Giezenaar said most of
the applications were for lipo-suction, tummy tuck and breast
enlargement surgeries.
“So far, 20 of the surgeries
had been successfully carried out,” she said.
She said 60% of the women including models, students and housewives
- were from Britain.
“About 30% of the applications
are from the United States and about 10% from the Netherlands,”
she added.
These people had submitted their applications online, she added.
Many foreigners, she added, were attracted to the idea of having
a surgery and a holiday in Penang at a cost equal to only a
surgery in their home countries.
“Now our target
clientele is Europe and the United States.
“But
plans are underway to expand our services to Japan and Australia,”
she said in an interview.
Giezenaar was responding to a report in The Star on Nov 7 that
Penang, known as the country’s Silicon Valley for its
production of microchips, had now gained a reputation as the
silicone centre for breast enlargement surgeries.
The beauty surgery-cum-holiday deal has attracted international
media attention.
There was also a write-up about this in the influential New
York Post, which highlighted the boob job by British fledgling
model Jennifer Forrest, 19.
Penang State Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Kee Phaik Cheen
was also quoted as saying that these surgeries were part and
parcel of medical tourism, which the State Government of Penang
was promoting.
Giezenaar said Penang was an ideal destination for medical tourism
because of its conducive environment for recuperation after
the surgery.
“The client may need to stay one
or two nights in the hospital for the surgery and after that,
continue the stay in a hotel,” she said.
“The
client also would need to return to the hospital for follow-up
appointments within a week after the surgery.
“All
in all, one needs to stay at least 14 days in Penang,”
Giezenaar said.
The duration of the trip would depend on the type of surgery.
“Each package would be individually customised
to the client’s requirements,” she added.
Prior to the confirmation of the trip, prospective clients would
have a chance to discuss their cases via telephone with the
surgeon here, Giezenaar said.
“We work very
closely with the hospital.
“We also have stringent
guidelines on the type of vacation activities the clients can
take part in after the surgery.
“This is to
ensure that the client has a smooth recovery,” she added.
A spokesman of the private hospital, which is collaborating
with Medi Travels, said they would conduct thorough medical
check-ups on the clients before proceeding with the surgeries.
“The medical technology and skills in Penang
are very modern and at par with their Western counterparts,”
he added.
Consumers Association of Penang president S.M.Mohamed Idris,
however, said the promotion of private healthcare as a tourist
package would open up a floodgate of problems.
“Treatment
charges in private hospitals would increase even further as
healthcare becomes a more profitable and lucrative business,”
Mohammad Idris said.
“Public hospitals will be affected,”
he said.
“More government medical staff will
be drawn into the private sector with the increase in demand
for their services,” he said in a statement.
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