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IPOH, Oct 29 — The Sunway Medical Centre Ipoh (SMCI), owned and operated by Sunway Healthcare Group (SHG), was officially launched today.
Located along Jalan Tambun within the integrated Sunway City Ipoh township, the medical centre sits amid hospitality, education, theme park, commercial and residential developments.
The RM430 million hospital was inaugurated by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, and the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim.
Sunway Healthcare Group President Datuk Lau Beng Long said the hospital is designed to deliver world-class healthcare for the people of Ipoh, the northern region and beyond.
“Malaysia was recently ranked number one globally as a preferred medical tourism destination, according to Nomad Capitalist, a Dubai-based consultancy.
“Under the guidance and wisdom of Your Royal Highness, Sunway Healthcare Group is committed to working with Perak menteri besar in positioning Ipoh as an emerging hub for medical tourism,” he said in his speech during the launch.
Lau added that in 2023, Malaysia’s medical tourism sector alone generated over RM2 billion in revenue from 1.3 million international patients.
“This is a strong testament to how well we are doing in this area, and something we can all be very proud of,” he added.
Meanwhile, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the establishment of the medical centre reflects investors’ confidence in the state’s potential as a premier destination for investment and health tourism in the northern region.
Saarani added that the hospital not only expands access to quality healthcare but also strengthens the nation’s medical investment landscape.
“The hospital’s advanced facilities and modern treatment systems enhance diagnostic accuracy, improve patient recovery, and mark a major leap in Perak’s capability to embrace world-class medical technology,” he said.
SMCI began operations on April 2, 2025.
Since its opening, the hospital has served 12,278 patient visits, including 323 inbound patients from countries such as China, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, the United States of America, India, Thailand, Japan and others, as of August 31.
The hospital is staffed by over 280 personnel, including 37 medical specialists and sub-specialists, as well as healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and allied health personnel.
SMCI houses 165 licensed beds, 63 consultation suites, eight operating theatres, and 24 critical care units, including eight paediatric and neonatal critical care bays.
In addition to its dedicated Cancer and Nuclear Medicine centre, the hospital features six centres of excellence covering cardiology, orthopaedics, neurosciences, clinical oncology, women and children’s health (including NICU and neonatology), and digestive health.
Equipped with advanced technologies such as PET-CT, LINAC (Truebeam 3.0), 3T MRI, Bi-Plane Angiography, and Dual Source CT Scanner, SMCI positions itself as a technologically advanced healthcare provider in northern Malaysia.
Within a short period, SMCI has achieved several milestones, including:
- The first private hospital in Perak equipped with a PET-CT machine for comprehensive cancer care.
- The first hospital in Perak with MAKO robotic surgery.
- The first hospital in Perak to successfully perform Endovascular Thrombectomy for acute stroke.
- The first hospital in Perak to successfully complete Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) with Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA).
As of August 31, the hospital has performed 315 surgeries, 263 scopes, and welcomed 33 births.
SMCI is the fifth tertiary hospital under SHG, which currently operates 11 healthcare facilities, comprising five hospitals and five ambulatory and complementary care centres, in addition to Sunway Sanctuary, a senior living residence.
SHG also plans to expand nationwide, with new tertiary hospitals planned for Sunway City Iskandar Puteri in Johor, Putrajaya, Seremban Sentral Transit-Oriented Development in Negeri Sembilan, Paya Terubong in Penang, and Kota Bharu in Kelantan.
Malay Mail – Malaysia
