MEN and women who long dreamed to have children of their own but with the female partner unable to conceive can now put their worries behind them for science has a way to resolve their mental anguish.
Moreover, issues of problematic pregnancies will be a thing of the past following the inking of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) and Monash University Australia to facilitate a capacity building programme for embryologists in Malaysia.
After all, Malaysia – already dubbed the Fertility Hub of Asia – boasts some 62 fertility centres to-date, and is hence capable of meeting the growing demands for fertility treatments from local and international patients.
Nevertheless, the country is faced with the challenge of having a limited number of certified embryologists to meet the needs of fertility treatment.
This is associated mainly to the unavailability of formal development programmes for fertility services.
Following its joint collaboration with MHTC, Monash University Australia’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at its School of Clinical Sciences now offers hope to Malaysian embryologists to pursue the Masters of Clinical Embryology as an off-campus student programme.
This bilateral international partnership between both parties allows MHTC to facilitate the industry by continuously promoting this course programme.
The ultimate aim of this collaboration is to:
- Increase the volume of world-class certified embryologists in Malaysia;
- Build a formal embryologist training programme in Malaysia;
- Improve the quality of patient care provided in Malaysia and the region;
- Develop and advance fertility services in Malaysia and within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region; and
- Position Malaysia as an educational hub for fertility treatment within the APAC region.
“We are pleased to work in collaboration with MHTC, the government agency that globally promotes Malaysia’s healthcare travel industry,” acknowledged Monash University Australia’s dean of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Professor Christina Mitchell.
“With Malaysia’s renowned reputation in providing top-notch fertility treatments, we trust that this embryologist capacity building programme will further uphold Malaysia’s medical and service excellence and continue opening more doors for patients seeking fertility treatments in Malaysia.”
If the collaboration meets its targeted objectives, prospects are bright that on-campus teaching facilities can be made available locally in the near future through Monash University Malaysia.
“We are delighted to establish this partnership with Monash University Australia in our endeavour to have more embryologists trained right here in Malaysia,” MHTC’s CEO Mohd Daud Mohd Arif pointed out.
“Malaysia is recognised as the preferred healthcare destination for healthcare travellers, particularly since the country has been positioned regionally as the Fertility Hub of Asia having experienced a 300% increase in demand for fertility treatments between 2011 and 2016.” – Feb 9, 2022
