The Story of an Indonesian Patient Struggling to Recover in Malaysia
The face of Robby Hadianto (40) radiated happiness. The man from Pekanbaru, Riau, along with his family, was permitted to return home, leaving Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday (27/8/2026).
For three days, his six-month-old son underwent treatment and was hospitalised at Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City after being diagnosed with pertussis. As reported by various sources, pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract and lungs caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria, characterised by severe, continuous coughing that makes breathing difficult.
Speaking to CNBC Indonesia alongside four Indonesian journalists, Robby shared that his son had previously undergone treatment at a hospital in Pekantebaru, Riau, which included two weeks of outpatient care and one week of inpatient care. However, according to Robby and his family, his son’s health did not show significant progress. This fact prompted him to seek a second opinion in Malaysia.
Armed with information obtained from a colleague who had previously received treatment at Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City, Robby was assisted by AssistCare, an Indonesian medical tourism company. AssistCare assisted with every stage of the treatment and the services to be received during the stay in Sunway City.
“At that time, his white blood cell count was quite high (54,000). So, we received information regarding treatment at Sunway, which ultimately led us to come here,” said Robby.
He noted that the service was rapid. Upon arriving at Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City in the afternoon, the child was attended to in the paediatric emergency department that same evening. The attending physician was Dr Noor Zehan, a paediatric respiratory specialist.
“Our child was well-treated. Alhamdulillah, his leukocyte levels have now decreased, and he is able to go home today,” Robby said.
Furthermore, Robby noted a distinct difference between the treatment received in Indonesia and Malaysia, specifically at Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City. Robby and his family stayed for three days.
“If treating in Indonesia, from what I can see at Sunway, it is more about the analysis. They perform precise analysis, which allows for the correct therapy. That is why the results have improved. That is our observation,” said Robby.
“The handling was fast. As soon as we entered, we were promised emergency admission and were immediately attended to; after that, a room was provided because it had been prepared from the start by AssistCare,” he continued.
In his view, in terms of equipment, hospitals in Indonesia are not inferior to those in Malaysia. However, there is a difference in the doctors’ analysis of the child’s condition.
“Because our child had also been treated in Indonesia for over a week, and because the leukocyte count did not drop, we were assisted by AssistCare to Sunway. Alhamdulillah, we received the right treatment,” said Robby.
During the occasion, Robby also expressed his appreciation for the service at Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City. Beyond the healthcare services, the available facilities were comfortable, ranging from patient rooms to companion rooms.
“Companions are also provided with food, not just the patients. So, we did not have to trouble ourselves searching for food on our own,” said Robby.
Erica Lam, CEO of Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City, stated that patients from Indonesia, like all international patients, desire the best possible service. As the largest private hospital in Malaysia, Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City invests heavily in subspecialist services, boasting more than 80 subspecialists.
According to Erica, Indonesian patients coming to Malaysia seek access to the latest medical technologies that may not yet be available in Indonesia. For example, Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City can treat paediatric cancer, a capability not shared by all other hospitals in Malaysia.
“Essentially, we always look from the patient’s perspective. Patients in any country sometimes do not obtain the correct or necessary information regarding their illness. Sometimes you go to the nearest hospital and simply hope for the best,” Erica told journalists at The Library Sunway Sanctuary, Sunway City, Kuala Lumpur, on Friday (28/8/2026).