In the vast state of Sabah, home to more than 3.5 million people, one doctor carries an extraordinary responsibility on his shoulders. Dr Thomas Francis is currently the only government cardiothoracic surgeon serving the entire state, earning him the title “Lone Ranger of Sabah.”
Dr Thomas serves as the Head of Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Hospital Queen Elizabeth II in Kota Kinabalu, while also leading the state’s cardiothoracic services.
He is among only 13 cardiothoracic surgeons serving in hospitals under the Ministry of Health Malaysia nationwide, and receives patients from across Sabah, including Tawau, Sandakan and Labuan.
Speaking on the shortage of specialists in the state, Dr Thomas said recent discussions regarding Sabah’s lack of cardiologists were both timely and necessary.
He explained that alongside cardiology services, cardiothoracic surgery plays a vital role in ensuring patients receive timely and definitive treatment for heart and lung conditions.
Dr Thomas was part of the pioneering second batch of the Parallel Pathway Programme in Cardiothoracic Surgery, where he underwent six years of ministry-sponsored training, followed by a one-year fellowship in the United Kingdom.
Before relocating to Sabah, the Kuala Lumpur-born doctor served at Hospital Serdang for nearly three years.
Over the past year alone, Dr Thomas and his team performed more than 270 cardiac and thoracic procedures. These included coronary artery bypass grafting, valve surgeries, lung cancer resections and paediatric heart surgeries.
Despite the progress, he acknowledged the challenges of operating as a single-surgeon centre.
“There are naturally challenges in balancing service demands, workload and time with family, but these are part of building and sustaining a developing service,” he shared.
At 40, Dr Thomas remains committed to strengthening Sabah’s healthcare landscape and hopes more young doctors will consider serving in the state.
He encouraged healthcare professionals to see Sabah as a place of opportunity, where they can gain broad clinical exposure, work with dedicated teams and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
“With continued specialist training programmes, I am confident the cardiothoracic and cardiology services at Hospital Queen Elizabeth II can evolve into a centre of excellence for cardiac and thoracic services in the region,” he said.
His story also comes at a crucial time. In 2024, Malaysia faced a shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons, leaving around 1,500 heart and lung patients in government hospitals awaiting urgent care.
Following amendments to the Medical Act last year, the Parallel Pathway Programme finally gained recognition, offering hope for more specialists to join the field in the future.
For now, in Sabah, Dr Thomas Francis continues to stand at the frontline, one surgeon, countless lives, and a mission that never stops.
