SANDAKAN: There are increasing public complaints about quality of healthcare facilities and services here especially at Duchess of Kent Hospital, said Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong Ket Kiun.
“Among the key issues highlighted are the lack of parking spaces, which makes it difficult for elderly patients, pregnant women, and those requiring urgent treatment to access the hospital.
“Additionally, the shortage of specialist doctors has led to treatment delays, which could potentially endanger lives. In fact, those complaints have long been raised to concerned authorities but have not received the proper attention from the state government,” he said in a statement.
Calvin also criticized the absence of a concrete plan to upgrade the existing hospital, which is currently operating with outdated facilities and equipment.
He said such situation represents an injustice to the people of Sabah—especially when tax revenues collected from the State continue to be channelled to Peninsular Malaysia, while hospitals and healthcare infrastructure in Sabah are left neglected and have not been upgraded for a long time.
“We often hear about Sabah’s resources contributing to national revenue, so why do our people still have to deal with outdated and subpar healthcare facilities?
“This isn’t just a matter of allocation—it’s a matter of fairness and priority,” he said.
Calvin urged both the State and Federal governments to act immediately by taking several steps, including the construction of multi-level parking facilities, increasing incentives for specialist doctors, and implementing a phased hospital upgrade plan.
“Public health is not a secondary issue. It’s a cornerstone of community welfare. I will continue to fight for the rights of the people of Elopura and Sabah as a whole to receive healthcare services that are comfortable, efficient, and competitive,” he said.