KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), partnering with the Ministry of Health (MOH), announced a new pilot project utilizing drones for medical deliveries in Tawau, Sabah.
Scheduled for launch in September or October 2026, the initiative aims to expand the healthcare delivery capabilities of the National Information Dissemination Centre (Nadi).
According to Dr. Mohd Arif Adenan, head of the MCMC Nadi Office, this project falls under the Nadi Smart Services program. It is designed to benefit residents across approximately 12 remote and rural villages who routinely struggle to access consistent medical supplies.
Overcoming rural healthcare barriers
A study by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) highlighted that interior residents often travel 20 to 30 kilometers to access hospital services, citing high transportation costs as a major hurdle.
“The program will help reduce the burden of travelling to obtain medicines, while saving both time and transportation costs, especially for patients living far from hospitals,” Dr. Mohd Arif stated.
To ensure safe and seamless deployment, the project leverages a multi-agency, whole-of-government framework including:
The Ministry of Health (MOH)
Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM)
The Sabah State Government
If successful, MCMC will consider scaling the drone initiative to other underserved regions. Currently, postal medicine delivery via Pos Malaysia remains active, with Nadi hubs acting as local collection points.
Transforming Nadi hubs into health and community centers
Beyond deliveries, Nadi centers are pivoting to offer essential baseline health services. Staff will provide regular health screenings, such as blood pressure checks, to minimize routine hospital visits. If a patient displays abnormal readings, Nadi will immediately loop in the relevant hospital for assessment—a move expected to alleviate congestion at public healthcare facilities.
Dr. Mohd Arif noted that this evolution shifts Nadi from a basic digital connectivity hub into a vital community center for public and government resources.
Virtual expansion and future development
Addressing physical footprint expansion, Dr. Mohd Arif clarified that MCMC has no immediate plans to build more brick-and-mortar hubs. The current “one-state constituency, one-Nadi” policy already guarantees nationwide coverage.
Instead, growth will focus on Nadi 2.0 virtual services. A Merdeka Centre study indicated most current visitors reside within a 1-to-2-kilometer radius of a physical center; the virtual expansion aims to bridge the gap for communities situated much further away. MCMC is also exploring extending network physical access points to specialized locations like military camps and police barracks.
Global recognition and educational upskilling
Nadi’s local impact has garnered international acclaim, securing the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Award in Geneva and a designation as the 16th ITU Digital Transformation Centre.
Capitalizing on these global partnerships, Nadi plans to offer micro-credential courses alongside tech leaders like Cisco and Hewlett Packard (HP).
These training initiatives are engineered to help rural youth secure industry-recognized certifications, significantly boosting local employability. – July 19, 2026