KOTA KINABALU: The construction of the in-campus teaching hospital, Hospital Universiti Malaysia Sabah (HUMS), has reached 30% and is set to be fully completed by the end of 2022.

       UMS vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Taufiq Yap Yun Hin, in attributing the delay to the Covid-19 pandemic, said he was confident that the completion target would be met.

       “With the movement restrictions, construction workers’ capacity was also reduced as we have to follow the SOP,” he said on the status of the project.

       Officially launched in 2018, the HUMS project covering 110,853 sq m was initially expected to be completed this year, but the timeline was changed to March 2022 before being revised again.

       The “smart hospital” will be self-sustainable financially and offer over 400 beds with all-inclusive medical facilities.

       “Once operational, besides being a teaching hospital and a smart facility which is digitally driven, it will also serve as a regional hospital.

       “It will upgrade the healthcare landscape in Sabah,” Prof Taufiq said during a briefing to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor when he visited the vaccine administration centre (PPV) in the UMS campus yesterday.

       Despite not having a main building yet, HUMS is already providing services at six centres – three in Kota Kinabalu and one each in Labuan, Sandakan and Kudat.