‘Wellness City’ planned for Kuala Lumpur

A new, purpose-built wellness hub is planned for construction in Kuala Lumpur, approximately 45 minutes from the city’s international airport.

The 26.49-acre KL Wellness City (KLWC) will include:

• A new 624-bed International Tertiary Hospital, with a scalable capacity of 1,000 beds
• A new ‘Nobel Healthcare Park’ with a range of medical, wellness, business and retail units
• Wellness suites for short-term stays, assisted living and patients’ relatives
• A range of longer-term residences offering a ‘health and fitness-focused lifestyle’.

The hospital is intended to offer a range of services in areas such as cardiology, spine health, neuro health, sports medicine, cosmetic surgery, and fertility. The hospital would also carry out research and development in various fields.

The intention is for KLWC to become a ‘hub for local and international medical tourism’. The team behind the project cited recent projections that the medical tourism industry in Malaysia is projected to be worth two million ringgit (US$457.6 million) in annual revenue by 2025.

“The Healthcare Travel Industry Blueprint 2021-2025 by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council has identified that ‘Step down, rehab and wellness development for health care travel’ is one of the critical touchpoints that require key improvements,” said KL Wellness City Managing Director Dr Colin Lee. “In terms of medical tourism, the wellness suites cater for patients who are in step-down care — those who have been discharged from hospital but are still recovering and may require assistance such as daily physiotherapy or rehabilitation. 

“The suites also cater to the families of medical tourists, who require accommodation closer to the patients and to various medical professional, amenities and facilities when required, particularly The International Tertiary Hospital,” he added.

In Shanghai, a new international hospital opened on 9 December 2022.