AN expression such as “I would rather be dead than to be sick” changed Datuk Dr Tan Meng Lee’s perception on the state of the healthcare industry. Then a young doctor, he saw how unattainable medical care could impact the average person, summing up the real cost of what ills the medical industry.

“I was in a neighbouring country when I came across an acquaintance who was ill but couldn’t afford reasonable medical care. I was taken aback by the struggles that many people were actually facing due to the ever increasing cost in the medical industry, and I realised that something needs to be done so that more people can have access to decent healthcare services,” Tan says.