Kota Kinabalu: A single doctor is reportedly attending to nearly 200 patients daily at Ranau Hospital’s outpatient department, raising concerns over the workload faced by medical officers serving rural communities in Sabah.
The situation was highlighted by the Joint Council of Presidents and Secretaries-General of Health Ministry Workers Unions (Mapsu), which has proposed a RM10,000 special incentive to attract and retain doctors in Sabah and Sarawak.
According to Mapsu, Ranau Hospital’s 24-hour emergency department is also operating with two doctors attending to between 80 and 100 patients daily.
The figures, if reflective of the hospital’s regular operations, highlight the pressures faced by healthcare personnel in districts where public hospitals serve communities spread across large geographical areas.
Mapsu representative Ajulahin Japin cited the situation as an example of the challenges facing medical officers posted to rural and under-served areas.
The council proposed that eligible doctors receive RM5,000 upon reporting for duty, followed by another RM5,000 after completing three years of service.
The proposed incentive is intended to encourage doctors to accept postings and remain in areas where recruitment and retention have been challenging.
The concerns come amid continuing difficulties in ensuring that medical officers assigned to Sabah and Sarawak report for duty.
Earlier this month, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad disclosed that 382 out of 1,055 medical officers assigned to the two states did not report for duty, representing approximately 36 per cent.
Although this marked an improvement from the 42 per cent reported in 2025, the figures indicate that attracting medical officers to the two states remains a challenge.
The Health Ministry has also announced a 30 per cent specialisation quota for medical officers from Sabah and Sarawak, as part of efforts to strengthen the healthcare workforce in both states.
However, the situation cited at Ranau Hospital raises questions about whether existing recruitment and retention measures are sufficient to address staffing pressures at district level.
Ranau Hospital serves a district that includes rural and highland communities, some of which require considerable travel to access medical services.
High patient volumes, particularly when handled by a limited number of doctors, may place additional pressure on consultation times, staff workloads and the continuity of patient care.
Mapsu’s proposal would involve a financial commitment, but the council believes additional incentives could help make postings in Sabah and Sarawak more attractive.
The reported staffing situation at Ranau Hospital has yet to be independently verified against the hospital’s official staffing establishment, duty rosters and daily patient attendance records.
Clarification from the Sabah Health Department and the Health Ministry would help establish whether the figures reflect a persistent staffing shortage, particular shifts or temporary operational arrangements.
The issue also raises broader questions about how doctors are distributed between urban hospitals and rural facilities, and whether staffing allocations adequately reflect patient demand and the geographical challenges of healthcare delivery in Sabah.
