19th Century To support the tin mining industry, 15 hospitals were established across Perak. These included facilities in Taiping, Teluk Intan, Tapah, Sungai Siput, Slim River, Seri Manjung, Selama, Parit Buntar, Kuala Kangsar, Kampar, Ipoh, Gerik, Changkat Melintang, Batu Gajah, and Tanjung Rambutan. 

1880 Hospital Taiping (originally known as Yeng Wah Hospital) was established as the nation's first hospital. It was also the first to be equipped with X-ray facilities following the discovery by Professor W.C. Roentgen.

1900 The Institute for Medical Research (IMR) was established to spearhead medical scientific advancements.

1900–1928 The Entomology Division and the Malaria Advisory Board were formed to combat infectious diseases.

1929 The first government dental clinic was opened at Jalan Silang, Kuala Lumpur.

1929–1947 The first Nursing College was established in Penang, marking a milestone in formal healthcare education.

1949 The Dental Nurse Training College was established in Penang.

1949–1956 The Penang Nurses' Hostel was officially inaugurated to support the growing nursing workforce.

1956 The Ulu Kinta Medical Assistant College began operations, initially serving as a training center for Assistant Nurses.

1956 Sarawak (Brooke Era): Dedicated hospitals for European officers were established, and training commenced for local nurses and midwives.

1881–1942 (Sabah) The North Borneo Chartered Company formally established structured health services in the region. 

1957 Upon independence, Malaysia operated 65 hospitals → The national health strategy began shifting toward rural healthcare, leading to the establishment of Health Centers, Clinics, and Midwifery Homes.

1964 The Pharmaceutical Laboratory and Store was established in Petaling Jaya to centralize medical supplies.

1964–1970 Ulu Kinta College expanded its scope to train Junior Hospital Assistants.

1974 The Pharmaceutical Services Division (PSD) was formally established to regulate and manage the nation's medicine supply.

1974–1977 Two decades after independence, the nation witnessed a rapid expansion and modernization of healthcare facilities nationwide.

1992 Ulu Kinta College was officially designated as a diploma-level training center for Medical Assistants. MKKUK was renamed → The National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau (NPCB).

1992 (7th Malaysia Plan) To meet the demand for skilled healthcare professionals, five Colleges of Allied Health Sciences (KSKB) were constructed in Sungai Buloh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Johor Bahru, and Ulu Kinta. 

1956 – 1962: The Ministry of Health merged with the Department of Social Welfare → the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

1963 The ministry was reinstated to its original name, the Ministry of Health Malaysia (KKM), under its fourth Minister, Y.B. Dato' Abdul Rahman Talib (1962–1964) in which this name remains in use until today.

The Present The Ministry of Health now focuses on providing equitable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare. Malaysia has emerged as a regional center of excellence in Cardiology, Geriatrics, and modern medical technology.