Sabah’s first Heart Hospital soon

Yayasan Sabah Group’s investment arm, Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd (ICSB) and the National Heart Institute (Institut Jantung Negara or IJN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 6 April 2026 to establish Sabah’s first IJN Hospital. The hospital which focuses on cardiovascular disease treatments would be built on a 10-acre site in Likas. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor – who is Chairman of the Yayasan Sabah Board of Trustees - witnessed the MoU signing ceremony at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Kota Kinabalu.

Hajiji said that the government is committed to provide the best healthcare for Sabahans. Datuk Jasnih Daya, Executive Chairman of ICSB, said that patients will no longer need to rely entirely on facilities outside the state to seek specialist treatment. “This initiative will also help support the existing healthcare system in Sabah, including services at the Sabah Heart Centre at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, which has limited capacity,” Jasnih said. “IJN Sabah will also offer job opportunities to locals.”

Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Chairman of IJN, said that heart disease is the leading cause of death in Malaysia, and this trend highlights the growing need for a more responsive and integrated healthcare system. Therefore, access to high-quality treatment must be expanded so it can be enjoyed more widely regardless of geographical location, he said. The IJN Hospital in Sabah would also open up a new market in health tourism, offering world-class medical services at affordable prices, Noor Hisham added. At the same event, University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF) and IJN University College, executed a MoU for the development of a skilled and professional workforce in the healthcare sector.