By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: The State Government is pressing for accelerated improvements to Sabah’s healthcare system, including the replacement of outdated equipment and expansion of hospital parking facilities, as part of efforts to strengthen critical services across the state.
Women, Health and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Julita Mojungki said the government is taking seriously the need to enhance healthcare delivery, with plans spanning short-, medium- and long-term timelines up to 2035.
She said the Sabah Health Department, had submitted a comprehensive proposal in 2024 covering greater autonomy, facility development, service quality improvements, manpower expansion and increased budget allocation to meet the state’s healthcare demands.
The proposals were raised under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council chaired by the Prime Minister, said Julita in her winding-up speech at the Sabah Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday.
She said Sabah’s healthcare requirements are also consistently discussed in meetings between the Health Minister and state executive councillors, ensuring continuous engagement with the Federal Government.
To date, she said a total of 48 development projects involving facility upgrades and service improvements have been implemented or are in the pipeline under the 12th and 13th Malaysia Plans.
Among the key projects are the construction of the Sabah Heart Centre at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, the Sabah Blood Centre, a Type 3 Health Clinic in Penampang, and the Sabah Dental Specialist Centre.
Additional developments include new Type 6 Health Clinics with quarters in Sungai Manila, Sandakan, and Pulau Sebatik, Tawau, as well as the procurement of CT scan machines for hospitals in Kudat and Tawau, and a PET scan for the Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital.
Julita added that the upgrading of Sabah’s hospital network systems is also underway to improve service efficiency and connectivity.
On infrastructure, she said improvements and expansion of parking facilities have already been approved as part of ongoing hospital upgrading projects, aimed at addressing long-standing congestion issues at major healthcare facilities.
Julita added that the upgrading of Sabah’s hospital network systems is also underway to improve service efficiency and connectivity.
