Penang’s push to become a regional hub for specialised cardiac care received a boost when Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow made his first official visit to Northern Heart Hospital Penang.
As reported by NST, Chow toured the specialist cardiac and vascular hospital on Thursday, where he was briefed on its facilities, services and plans to enhance cardiovascular care across the state.
The hospital offers comprehensive cardiac and vascular services, including minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and specialised vascular procedures, according to Pocket News.
Northern Heart Hospital Penang said it remains committed to delivering cardiovascular care through clinical excellence, innovation, compassion and patient-centred services. The hospital has adopted the latest medical technologies and evidence-based practices to support Penang’s aspiration to become a leading regional destination for specialised healthcare.
Chow said the state government measures success not by investment announcements alone, but by the tangible benefits they bring to the people.
“Every investment must create real spillover benefits — good jobs, opportunities for local businesses, stronger economic activity and better livelihoods. That is how we measure success,” he said.
He welcomed the fact that about half of Northern Heart Hospital’s 235 employees are Penangites, describing it as the kind of local participation the state wants to see.
“I always ask myself one question whenever I visit a factory, business or hospital — how does this benefit ordinary Penangites?” he said.
Chow also commended the hospital’s corporate social responsibility initiative, under which it provided free Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) procedures to three B40 patients last year. He said the initiative demonstrated that access to quality healthcare should not depend solely on a person’s financial means.
Penang recently contributed 45 per cent of Malaysia’s total medical tourism revenue, reaffirming its position as the country’s leading medical tourism destination. More than 500,000 international patients sought treatment in Penang last year, generating more than RM1.1 billion in revenue.
Chow attributed the achievement to sustained public and private sector investments, the professionalism of healthcare workers and the confidence international patients place in Penang’s healthcare system.
“The opportunity now is not just to attract more patients but to create higher-value healthcare services that benefit our economy and our people,” he said.
He said the state government will continue working closely with the private healthcare sector to strengthen Penang’s medical ecosystem while ensuring its growth creates quality jobs, encourages healthcare innovation and improves services for Penangites.
