The growing Thai healthcare and wellness segment is drawing more investments, with Fujifilm (Thailand), a subsidiary of Fujifilm Asia-Pacific, a global medical and healthcare equipment provider, launching a clinic serving both Thai and foreign patients.
“The industry has the potential to grow by 12% annually,” said Masaharu Morita, board member of Fujifilm DKH (Thailand), which operates the new NURA Bangkok clinic.
“NURA Bangkok aims to make preventive screening more accessible and convenient, helping more people understand potential health risks before symptoms appear,” said Mr Morita, co-founder of NURA.
Thailand has growing healthcare needs. According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes account for 74% of all deaths in Thailand.
Many serious conditions develop without noticeable symptoms in their early stages, yet only 4.9% of Thais undergo regular annual health screening, according to the National Statistical Office.
Fujifilm has a network of NURA clinics in seven countries, including India, Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as two regional hubs in the Middle East and Africa.
The company is scaling its NURA network across emerging markets in Asia and other territories, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnostic imaging and Japanese-style health checkups.
Dr Mohamed Kasim, co-founder of NURA and board member of Fujifilm DKH (Thailand), said Thailand is ready for integrated wellness tourism as wellness retail shops, spas and anti-ageing clinics to cater to foreign tourists seeking healthcare alongside their travels.
The clinic in Chong Nonsi, Bangkok, has a capacity of 100 patients per day.
In Thailand, NURA plans to expand the clinic into major provinces, including Chiang Mai.
According to Dr Kasim, NURA partnered with 12 leading private hospital groups in Thailand, including BDMS, Phyathai-Paolo, Thonburi and Bumrungrad, to ensure patients with detected abnormalities are promptly referred for appropriate medical treatment.
Fujifilm operates across a broad range of business segments in Thailand.
Its consumer portfolio includes digital cameras, Instax instant cameras and minilab equipment, while its healthcare division offers medical imaging systems, including X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI and CT technologies, as well as healthcare IT solutions and AI-powered diagnostic tools.