KUALA LUMPUR, 9 JULY 2026 – Batik Air Malaysia and Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), supported by Tourism Malaysia, have launched a strategic collaboration that unites air connectivity and world-class cardiac care with national tourism efforts to champion preventive heart health and strengthen Malaysia’s medical tourism ecosystem.
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing preventive healthcare, improving access to specialised cardiovascular services, and enhancing Malaysia’s positioning as a regional hub for medical travel supported by seamless connectivity and trusted clinical expertise.
As Malaysia’s national heart centre and a leading cardiovascular and thoracic institution in the region, IJN continues to advance heart health beyond hospital walls by promoting early screening, preventive care and timely intervention through strategic partnerships that extend its reach to the wider community.
As part of the initiative, IJN is offering an exclusive health screening promotion for Batik Air international passengers under the “Fly High with a Healthy Heart” campaign. Eligible passengers can enjoy 15% off IJN’s Essential Health Screening package by presenting a valid Batik Air boarding pass upon registration at IJN.
The Essential Health Screening package, priced at RM765 after discount, is designed to encourage early detection and empower individuals to take proactive steps in managing their heart health. The initiative underscores the shared commitment of both organisations to making preventive healthcare more accessible to the public.
To mark the launch of the collaboration, IJN is also extending a 20% discount on its Premier Heart Screening package to the first 1,000 Batik Air international passengers. Available at a special rate of RM1,760 after discount, the package offers a more comprehensive cardiovascular assessment, featuring advanced cardiac and vascular evaluations, abdominal imaging, expanded laboratory investigations, body composition analysis, dietary counselling, and consultation with a cardiology specialist.
To further support international patient mobility, Batik Air will offer a 10% airfare discount for international patients travelling to IJN for treatment, upon presentation of an official IJN appointment letter. This initiative aims to ease travel arrangements for patients and accompanying family members seeking specialised cardiovascular and thoracic care in Malaysia.
In addition, the collaboration also includes IJN’s participation in the Batik Air Corporate Programme, which offers preferential travel benefits across selected domestic and international routes. The programme supports IJN’s official travel requirements while extending selected benefits to eligible employees. Eligible IJN employees may also extend these fare benefits to their immediate family members and friend, offering greater flexibility and convenience for personal travel.
Meanwhile, Batik Air employees and their eligible dependents are also entitled to enjoy discounts of up to 20% on selected IJN Wellness Screening packages. The benefit is extended as part of the collaboration to encourage regular health monitoring and early detection, supporting overall wellbeing among employees and their families.
Batik Air Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy, said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to improving access to preventive healthcare and strengthening awareness on early care.
“Malaysia continues to strengthen its position as one of the key healthcare travel destinations in the region, while within ASEAN, Thailand remains the regional leader, receiving over 3 million medical travellers annually,” he said.
He added that Malaysia recorded approximately 1.85 million healthcare travellers in 2025, generating about RM3.35 billion in revenue and surpassing its RM3 billion target. This reflects growing confidence in Malaysia’s healthcare ecosystem and its ability to support patients seeking care across borders.
“These developments reflect the growing link between healthcare and air connectivity, enabling patients to access treatment across borders more easily. At its core, this collaboration is about ensuring travel supports meaningful access to care when it is needed most,” he added.
Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohamed Ezani Md Taib, Group Chief Executive Officer of IJN, said the collaboration underscores IJN’s commitment to patient and community wellbeing through greater awareness on preventive heart health and improved access to care.
“At IJN, our responsibility goes beyond treating heart disease. As Malaysia’s national heart centre, we also play an important role in encouraging prevention, early detection and timely intervention. Through this collaboration with Batik Air, we hope to encourage more travellers and members of the public to take proactive steps in understanding their heart health,” he said.
He added that early screening remains important, especially as many individuals may not be aware of their cardiovascular risk until symptoms appear.
“Heart health should not be overlooked, especially in today’s fast-paced lifestyle where many individuals may delay routine health checks. By making screening more accessible through this initiative, we hope to support early detection and empower more people to make informed decisions about their health,” he said.
He also added that the collaboration will help support IJN’s role in providing specialised care to patients from Malaysia and abroad.
“This collaboration also supports patients who travel to IJN for specialised cardiovascular and thoracic care. By working with Batik Air, we hope to provide added convenience for patients and their families, particularly those travelling from overseas to seek treatment at IJN,” he said.
Tourism Malaysia Director General, Y.Brs. Tuan Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, said:
“Malaysia’s recognition among the world’s top six medical tourism destinations for 2026 reflects the country’s strong healthcare ecosystem and reinforces our position as a preferred healthcare travel destination.
In conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) and Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 (MYMT2026) campaigns, medical and wellness tourism remains one of Tourism Malaysia’s key niche market segments, which we continue to promote aggressively together with the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) and our healthcare partners through international sales missions and strategic marketing initiatives across key source markets.
As Malaysia’s premier cardiac institution, Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), with its world-class specialists and advanced medical technology, has become the preferred destination for cardiovascular treatment among patients from ASEAN, South Asia and beyond, further strengthening Malaysia’s reputation as a leading medical tourism hub.”
The collaboration, which commenced on 1 May 2026, will remain in effect until 30 April 2027, with any renewal subject to mutual agreement between all parties. All promotions and benefits are subject to applicable terms and conditions.