Malaysia's health service ranked third best in the world - Hilmi Yahaya

He said the recognition was made possible due to easy access to health service, even in the most remote areas, in Malaysia.

"Our health service reaches the people everywhere as we have the 1Malaysia clinics, rural clinics, and also more than 200 mobile clinics across the country.

"In areas not linked by roads, we also have clinics on boats and helicopters, and we have continuously strived to make our service available to patients in all the places in the country," he told reporters after launching the new CT Scan machine at Tawau Hospital here today.

Deputy Education Minister and Tawau MP Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching was also present.

Meanwhile, Hilmi expressed hope that the residents of Tawau and the surrounding areas would continue to benefit from the upgrading of the old CT Scan machine to a 32 Slice CT Scan machine at the Tawau Hospital.

He said the upgrading project which cost RM2.4 million could provide better, faster and more accurate radiology and imaging services.

"Previously, with the Single-Slice CT Scan machine, we could only accommodate a maximum of 10 cases (appointments) and five emergency cases in a day, but now the staff can handle up to 20 cases (appointments) and many more emergency cases at a time," he said.

Hilmi said the upgrading project was among the government's fulfilled promises to help the people.