Health in Sabah, Malaysia: official figures
Sabah had 5,097 beds in public (government) hospitals in 2024, according to the Ministry of Health, which is 9.8% of the 52,048 public beds in Malaysia (11.0% of the population). Private hospitals are not included.
How many hospital beds per 1,000 people are there in Sabah?
There were 1.36 public hospital beds for every 1,000 residents of Sabah in 2024, 7th lowest among the 16 areas; the figure for Malaysia was 1.53.
Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia · saved copyAre there more hospital beds in Sabah than before?
Public hospital beds in Sabah rose from 4,671 in 2015 to 5,097 in 2024 (+9.1%, 7th smallest rise among the 16 areas). Per 1,000 residents that is 1.26 in 2015 and 1.36 in 2024.
Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia · saved copyWho runs the hospitals in Sabah?
4,077 of the 5,097 public hospital beds in Sabah (80%) were in hospitals run by the Ministry of Health in 2024, 40 in government hospitals of other agencies such as the armed forces or university hospitals and 980 in special medical institutions such as cancer or heart centres.
Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia · saved copyDoes Sabah have enough hospital beds?
Sabah holds 9.8% of Malaysia's public hospital beds against 11.0% of its people (2024), so it has fewer beds per resident than the national average of 1.53 per 1,000.
Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia · saved copyWhich district of Sabah has the most hospital beds?
Within Sabah, the district with the most public hospital beds in 2024 was Kota Kinabalu with 2,195 beds (43% of the 5,097 in the state); the state is split into 26 districts in the Ministry of Health data.
Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia · saved copyHow Sabah compares with other states
Public hospital beds per 1,000 residents, 2024 (2024)
Sabah ranks 10 of 16, highest first. Beds in government hospitals (Ministry of Health, special institutions and other agencies' hospitals); private hospitals are not counted. Divided by the 2024 mid-year population estimate.
| Rank | Region | Public hospital beds per 1,000 residents, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Negeri Sembilan | 1.59 |
| 8 | Pahang | 1.59 |
| 9 | Kelantan | 1.58 |
| 10 | Sabah | 1.36 |
| 11 | Kedah | 1.32 |
| 12 | Johor | 1.30 |
| 13 | Melaka | 1.29 |
Public hospital beds, 2024 (2024)
Sabah ranks 5 of 16, highest first. Beds in government hospitals at the end of 2024.
| Rank | Region | Public hospital beds, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Perak | 6,021 |
| 3 | Kuala Lumpur | 5,498 |
| 4 | Johor | 5,448 |
| 5 | Sabah | 5,097 |
| 6 | Sarawak | 4,189 |
| 7 | Kelantan | 2,987 |
| 8 | Kedah | 2,919 |
Change in public hospital beds, 2015 to 2024 (%) (2024)
Sabah ranks 10 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in public hospital beds, 2015 to 2024 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Kuala Lumpur | +12.2% |
| 8 | Kedah | +10.0% |
| 9 | Johor | +9.7% |
| 10 | Sabah | +9.1% |
| 11 | Negeri Sembilan | +8.3% |
| 12 | Sarawak | +6.2% |
| 13 | Perak | +4.5% |
More on Sabah: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · Malaysia
Sources
- Ministry of Health Malaysia: Hospital Beds by State and Hospital Type: public sector hospital beds, 2015-2024 (Health Informatics Centre records), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 97cb4cd999b5…)
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