Hospitals & Clinics in Kota Kinabalu & Sabah
For an ambulance, dial 999. For a private hospital ambulance, call that hospital's emergency line directly.
JKN Sabah lists 24 government hospitals in Sabah (JKN Sabah, checked 7 October 2026), plus a network of government health clinics. Government hospitals cost less. Private hospitals are usually faster and cost more.
Find by District
Select a district to see the nearest hospitals and, where there is no hospital, the main government health clinic, with direct-call phone numbers.
Choose a district above to see the nearest hospitals and clinics.
Government Hospitals
Government hospitals provide emergency care, inpatient wards, specialist clinics and outpatient services. Foreigners pay non-citizen rates. Phone numbers below are from the JKN Sabah hospital list (checked 7 October 2026) unless another source is named. If a number does not connect, check that list or the hospital's own page.
West Coast Division
Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QE)
GovernmentLarge government hospital in Kota Kinabalu. Departments include emergency and trauma, general surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics and respiratory medicine. Expect waiting times.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital II (QE2)
GovernmentGovernment hospital in Luyang. Departments include cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery and specialist clinics.
Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-Kanak Sabah
GovernmentGovernment hospital for women and children in Kota Kinabalu.
Klinik Kesihatan Penampang
Government clinicPenampang has no hospital on the JKN Sabah list. This is a government health clinic. For emergencies call 999 or go to a hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
Hospital Papar
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Papar.
Hospital Tuaran
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Tuaran.
Hospital Beaufort
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Beaufort.
Hospital Sipitang
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Sipitang, near the Sarawak and Brunei borders.
East Coast & Sandakan Division
Duchess of Kent Hospital
GovernmentMain government hospital in Sandakan.
Hospital Kinabatangan
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Kinabatangan, including the river lodge areas.
Hospital Beluran
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Beluran.
Tawau Division
Hospital Tawau
GovernmentMain government hospital in Tawau. Number for the new hospital building from Hospital Tawau, checked 7 October 2026.
Hospital Lahad Datu
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Lahad Datu and visitors to the Danum Valley area.
Hospital Semporna
GovernmentDistrict hospital for Semporna, the gateway to Sipadan and Mabul. Its emergency and trauma unit runs 24 hours (Hospital Semporna, checked 7 October 2026). Number from the Sabah Tourism Board, checked 7 October 2026.
Hospital Kunak
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Kunak.
Interior Division & North
Hospital Keningau
GovernmentMain government hospital for the Interior Division.
Hospital Ranau
GovernmentNearest government hospital to Kundasang and Kinabalu Park.
Hospital Kudat
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Kudat and the Tip of Borneo area.
Hospital Pitas
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Pitas.
Hospital Kota Belud
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Kota Belud.
Hospital Kota Marudu
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Kota Marudu.
Hospital Tambunan
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Tambunan.
Hospital Tenom
GovernmentGovernment district hospital for Tenom.
Private Hospitals
Private hospitals usually have shorter waits and charge more. Most are in Kota Kinabalu. In Tawau, the Sabah Tourism Board (checked 7 October 2026) lists KMI Tawau Medical Centre (089-771 873) and Tawau Specialist Medical Centre (089-779 082). Ask any private hospital before treatment whether your insurer offers direct billing.
Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu
PrivatePrivate hospital with a 24-hour Accident & Emergency Department, a 24-hour heart attack centre, ground and air ambulance service and an international patient service. Ambulance / emergency line: 088-518 911 (Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu, checked 7 October 2026).
KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital
PrivatePart of the KPJ Healthcare group. Its Accident & Emergency department runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. General line 088-322 000, emergency line 088-322 199. A&E hours from KPJ Sabah's services page, numbers from its main page, checked 7 October 2026.
Jesselton Medical Centre (JMC)
PrivatePrivate hospital with 24-hour emergency and trauma services. General line 088-366 333, 24-hour emergency line 088-366 399 (Jesselton Medical Centre, checked 7 October 2026).
Specialist Clinics
We no longer list individual private specialist clinics because we could not confirm their current phone numbers. For a specialist appointment, use the doctor directory on a private hospital's website (above), or start at a government health clinic. JKN Sabah lists every government health clinic (Klinik Kesihatan) by district, with phone numbers (checked 7 October 2026).
24-Hour Pharmacies
We could not confirm any 24-hour retail pharmacy in Sabah. Pharmacies in KK malls follow their own opening hours, so check the store's hours before you go. If you need urgent medicine at night, go to a hospital emergency department.
If you're heading to remote areas (Kinabatangan, Danum Valley, islands), buy what you need in KK first. Rural areas have few pharmacies. Bring insect repellent and enough of any prescription medicines you take.
Dental Clinics
JKN Sabah lists all government dental clinics (Klinik Pergigian) in Sabah by district (checked 7 October 2026). We no longer list individual private dental clinics because we could not confirm their details. Check a private clinic's own website for prices and hours.
Government dental charges are set by the Ministry of Health and differ for citizens and non-citizens. See the published MOH treatment charges (JKN Pahang, checked 7 October 2026) and confirm with the clinic.
Healthcare Tips for Tourists
Get Travel Insurance
Get cover that includes medical treatment and evacuation. Ask private hospitals whether your insurer offers direct billing.
Bring Prescriptions
Bring enough of your regular medicines for the whole trip, plus a doctor's letter for them.
Check Vaccinations
See a travel doctor well before your trip. Travellers from yellow fever risk countries may be asked for a vaccination certificate on arrival.
Save Hospital Numbers
Save QE Hospital (088-517 555) and your nearest hospital in your phone contacts before you need them.
Frequently asked questions
Q Can tourists use government hospitals in Sabah?
Yes. Foreign visitors can use government hospitals but pay non-citizen rates. Non-citizens are charged without subsidy under the Fees (Medical) (Cost of Services) Order 2014 (Utusan Malaysia, checked 7 October 2026). A general outpatient visit for a citizen at a government hospital is RM1 (MOH treatment charges, JKN Pahang, checked 7 October 2026).
Bring your passport and your travel insurance details, and ask the hospital how to pay and claim.
Q Which hospital should I go to in an emergency?
Call 999 for an ambulance. If you have a choice:
- Government hospital (QE/QE2) โ Cheaper. Handles trauma, serious emergencies. Can be crowded.
- Private hospital (Gleneagles, KPJ Sabah or JMC) โ Usually faster and more expensive. Ask whether your insurer offers direct billing.
For life-threatening emergencies, always go to the nearest hospital regardless of type.
Q How much does a hospital visit cost in Sabah?
Costs vary a lot between government and private facilities:
- Government general outpatient (citizen): RM1 per visit (MOH treatment charges, JKN Pahang, checked 7 October 2026)
- Government care (non-citizen): charged without subsidy under the Fees (Medical) (Cost of Services) Order 2014 (Utusan Malaysia, checked 7 October 2026). Ask the hospital for the current rate.
- Private hospitals and clinics: set their own fees. Ask for an estimate before treatment.
Travel insurance with strong medical cover is strongly recommended.
Q Do hospitals in Sabah have English-speaking doctors?
Usually, yes. Most doctors in Sabah speak English, in both government and private hospitals. In rural areas, staff may use Malay more often.
Q Where can I get medicine at night in KK?
We could not confirm any 24-hour retail pharmacy in KK. Check a mall pharmacy's opening hours before you go. For urgent needs at night, go to a hospital emergency department, such as the 24-hour A&E at Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu or KPJ Sabah, or a government hospital.
Q Is Sabah good for medical tourism?
Some private hospitals in KK serve overseas patients. Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu has an international patient service and publishes health packages on its website. Ask hospitals directly for current prices.
Q What vaccinations do I need before visiting Sabah?
If you arrive from or have visited a country at risk of yellow fever, your yellow fever vaccination certificate can be checked at Malaysia's international entry points (CodeBlue, checked 7 October 2026).
For other vaccines and malaria precautions, see a travel doctor well before your trip and tell them which parts of Sabah you plan to visit.
Sources & References 15 sources
Last verified: October 2026
Government Healthcare
- Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) Official MOH portal โ hospital directory & policies
- JKN Sabah (Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri) Sabah State Health Department
- JKN Sabah: Hospital di Sabah Official list of Sabah government hospitals with addresses and phone numbers
- JKN Sabah: Klinik Kesihatan Government health clinics by district
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital QE Hospital official page
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital II QE2 Hospital official page
- MOH treatment charges (JKN Pahang) Government hospital charges for citizens and non-citizens
- Sabah Tourism Board: Emergency Carelines Hospital and police numbers for travellers
- MySejahtera Malaysia health records & facility locator
Private Hospitals
Travel Health & News
- Utusan Malaysia: KKM fees for non-citizen patients Non-citizens charged without subsidy under the Fees (Medical) (Cost of Services) Order 2014
- CodeBlue: Yellow fever screening at entry points KKM yellow fever certificate screening
- WHO โ Malaysia Health Profile World Health Organization country profile