TUARAN: The State Government wants healthcare facilities in Sabah to be continuously improved to ensure the people have access to fast, safe, quality and equitable healthcare services.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said an excellent healthcare sector requires continuous improvements for the well-being of the people, particularly in view of Sabah’s challenges in terms of its vast geographical area, population distribution and accessibility to services.
“These challenges should not be an obstacle to efforts to ensure that everyone, including those in rural and hard-to-reach areas, has access to safe, quality and equitable healthcare services,” he said.
He said this when officiating the 2026 Borneo Zone TOBaTS (Reject Illegal Medicines) Roadshow at Dewan Seri Sulaman here today.
Hajiji said Sabah also wants to see more medical facilities and specialist hospitals developed, including an increase in the number of specialist doctors, so that the people in the State can enjoy more comfortable and effective medical services.
He said that as part of these efforts, Sabah had also taken a step forward with the strategic collaboration between the Yayasan Sabah Group (YS) and IJN Sdn Bhd, sealed last April, for the construction of a world-class heart hospital in Kota Kinabalu, which hopefully would become a reality and further enhance access to cardiac care services in the State.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said the organisation of the TOBATS Roadshow demonstrated the continued commitment of the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), together with the State Government, to protect the health and well-being of the people from the threat of illegal health products and medicines.
He said the emergence of digital platforms and social media had made it increasingly easy for unregistered cosmetic products, supplements and medicines to be marketed directly to consumers, while also providing opportunities for irresponsible parties to make various misleading or unsubstantiated medical claims.
“The health and safety of the people cannot and will never be compromised. The use of illegal medicines can pose serious health risks because such products do not meet safety, quality and efficacy standards, and can even cause kidney damage, liver failure and death,” he said.
Hajiji said enforcement alone was not enough, and that the strongest line of defence was a knowledgeable and vigilant society capable of making the right decisions.
In this regard, he called on all Sabahans to adopt the practice of checking medicines through the MyUbat application provided by the MOH before making a purchase, as well as ensuring that the medicines they buy are registered with the MOH and consulting a pharmacist or doctor before trying any new health product.
“I hope the TOBATS Roadshow will serve as a starting point towards developing a new culture – one of medicine literacy and of rejecting all forms of fraud and abuse involving medicines,” he said.
Hajiji also gave an assurance that the State Government would continue to provide support and strengthen synergy with the MOH and all stakeholders to ensure that Sabah’s health and well-being agenda continues to be empowered in a sustainable and comprehensive manner.
He said strong cooperation between the MOH, Sabah State Health Department and State Government agencies was important to ensure that the TOBaTS Campaign message reaches communities at the grassroots level throughout the State.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Hajiji said that if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaches a hazardous level that could pose a risk to health, the State Government, through the state-level committee, would take the necessary proactive measures.-pr/BNN
