Health NKEA generated RM4.65 bln GNI last year

Borneo Post KUALA LUMPUR: The six entry point projects (EPP) under the National Key Economic Area (NKEA) for Healthcare successfully achieved 224 percent, above the target set since it was launched last year.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said total investment generated from the six EPP was RM3.1 billion, contributing to RM4.65 billion (Gross National Income) GNI.
Total job creation from the EPP was 18,059 jobs, he added.
“We are doing very well in all the six EPP for the past one year. We had achieved 224 percent, above the 100 percent target set for all the six EPP,” he told reporters here yesterday.
The six EPP launched are foreign worker health insurance scheme, clinical research and diagnosis hub, pharmaceutical exports, health tourism, diagnosis services nexus and developing a health metropolis.
He added that the seventh EPP, namely the medical devices manufacturing, would be launched in two months.
“I hope to encourage more Malaysians to go into manufacturing medical device. It is a big industry that can create a lot of job and creating lots of economic value,” he said.
Liow said all the seven EPP would generate revenue of RM42 billion by year 2020.
“We have already put up all the plans. We are very confident we will achieve the target before year 2020,” he said.
Earlier when opening the 1Malaysia Youth Business Expansion Strategies (1MYBest) Expo, Liow said youth should seize opportunities and the conducive environment for doing business in Malaysia by venturing into entrepreneurship.
He added that youths who comprise up to 40 percent of the 28 million Malaysian population, should also participate constructively in the nation’s aspiration of becoming a high-income nation by 2020.
The 1MYBest, organised by United Movement of Youth Malaysia (GBBM) and Young Malaysians Movement (YMM), was aimed to provide a platform for aspiring youth entrepreneurs to start up business or to expand their business. — Bernama