Kota Kinabalu: The Federal Government has allocated RM1.56 billion under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) planning and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) negotiations for 53 healthcare development projects across Sabah.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic) said the allocation covers 32 physical projects involving hospitals and clinics and 21 non-physical projects focusing on ICT digitalisation and the procurement of medical equipment, including the Sabah Heart Centre, Sapulut Nabawan Health Clinic and a new block at Tawau Hospital.
He said the Health Ministry had also completed the reconstruction and upgrading of 132 dilapidated clinics in Sabah between 2023 and 2025 under the Bitara Madani initiative at a cost of RM75.5 million, with the remaining 46 dilapidated clinics planned for implementation in phases this year.
Dr Dzulkefly said Sabah’s healthcare allocation was projected to increase by five per cent annually to reach RM4 billion by 2030, while another RM4.3 million had been approved following recent working visits to Tambunan, Ranau and Kota Belud hospitals.
Speaking at the Health Minister’s Talk Session at Wisma Wanita here Friday, he said Sabah’s geography and logistics remained major healthcare challenges, with the Ministry planning a pilot drone medicine delivery project in Tawau in the fourth quarter of this year to speed up the delivery of critical medicines to remote areas.
