Malaysia Airlines to offer cut-rate for B\\\'desh patients

Malaysia Airlines will provide 30 per cent special discount in its airfare to Bangladesh's patients, who will go to the Southeast Asian nation for treatment through GD Assist.
In this connection, GD Assist, a subsidiary of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd (GDIC), has signed a deal with Malaysia Airlines.
Farzana Chowdhury, managing director and CEO of GDIC and director of GD Assist, and Wan Mohd. Ebrahem, general manager of Malaysia Airlines in Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective companies.
The signing of the deal was announced at a press conference held at the insurance company's head office in the city Monday.
The press conference was addressed, among others, by Norlin Binti Othman, Malaysian High Commissioner in Dhaka, Nasir A Choudhury, chairman of GD Assist and advisor and founder managing director of GDIC, and Sherene Azura Azli, CEO of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC).
GD Assist is an agent of MHTC in Bangladesh and has been promoting Malaysian healthcare tourism here, officials said.
"Bangladeshi patients, who will go to Malaysia for treatment through GD Assist, will get 30 per cent discount in airfare in Malaysia Airlines," Mr Ebrahem said.
They will also get hassle-free, convenient and better services till travelling to the respective hospitals in Malaysia, he said.
Malaysia is seeing a big market in Bangladesh to provide healthcare services and promote health-tourism, Mr Ebrahem said, adding that Malaysia Airlines, GD Assist and MHTC will jointly work to promote it by exploiting the opportunity.
Norlin Binti Othman said that the agreement will facilitate to bring patients from Bangladesh to Malaysian hospitals in a more organised and systematic manner.
There are three flights of Malaysia Airlines between the two countries daily, she added.
Farzana Chowdhury said that main purpose of the initiative is that country's patients will get discount in airfare and better services in Malaysia Airlines.
GD Assist will also provide one-stop services to the patients, she said, adding that the healthcare facility is value added services of the company.
It is not mandatory for the patients to have insurance with the company for availing the healthcare services, she sad responding to a question.
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