Manpower shortage at Sabah's QEH II affecting healthcare services

 By Olivia Miwil

July 21, 2026 @ 3:47pm

Appointed assemblyman Chin Shu Ying at Sabah state legislative assembly. Photo courtesy of Chin Shu Ying.

KOTA KINABALU: Queen Elizabeth Hospital II's ability to provide quality healthcare is under growing pressure due to an acute manpower shortage.

Datuk Chin Shu Ying (LDP-Appointed) told the Sabah state assembly that the hospital's staff-to-patient ratio was declining as workloads for doctors, nurses, allied health officers, and support staff continue to rise.

"The hospital not only receives patients from Kota Kinabalu but also serves as the main referral centre for the entire state, including cases from Labuan," he said when debating the Supplementary Supply Bill.

He said the hospital was designed to operate 400 beds, but currently runs only 284 due to insufficient staffing.

"At the same time, the Bed Occupancy Rate remains above 80 per cent, with annual patient admissions reaching around 12,000 to 12,500 people," he said.

Chin said adequate numbers of highly skilled personnel were essential if the state was serious about developing the Sabah Heart Centre at the hospital.

"To support the sustainable development of the Sabah Heart Centre over the next 10 to 20 years, the hospital requires a gradual increase in staffing to reach 2,284 positions.

"This means approximately 830 new positions are needed to meet the hospital's actual operational needs," he said.

Separately, Chin proposed establishing a Sabah Autism Database in collaboration with the Health Department, Education Department, Social Welfare Department, hospitals, schools, and intervention centres.

"Without accurate data, the government cannot properly plan the number of schools, teachers, specialists, treatment centres, and financial allocations required," he said.