KOTA KINABALU: The shortage of nurses in Sabah's government hospitals is not at a critical level, according to Sabah Health Department director Dr. Maria Suleiman.
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Sabah has 11,741 nursing positions, with 10,210 filled and 1,554 vacant.
Although staffing is not urgent, Dr. Maria emphasized the need for more nurses to maintain quality care, hoping the Ministry of Health will address these vacancies soon.
At the opening of the 2025 Nurses' Day celebrations, Dr. Maria highlighted the reliance on local training institutes to fill gaps, with around 300 to 400 new nurses graduating annually.
She noted that nurses in Sabah are highly skilled, with expertise in various specialties, including midwifery, public health, and critical care.
The event also featured a blood donation drive across 21 hospitals, aiming to collect 1,000 pints, up from 805 last year.
Dr. Maria addressed the ongoing parking shortage at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, stating that a partnership with Qhazanah Sabah Berhad has added 300 parking spaces to ease the issue. She hopes future hospital expansions will include more parking.
