KUALA LUMPUR – More than a year before the country was hit by a medical drug supply shortage, Putrajaya had already been warned by the Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS), but the authorities failed to take necessary measures to avert a crisis.
With public hospitals now on the verge of reeling over supply disruptions for selected medicines, MPS president Amrahi Buang said the impending nature of the matter was already anticipated as early as the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when countries across the globe were shifting their focus to the health crisis.
At the time, he said, concerns had already been raised regarding issues related to drug logistics in Malaysia.
This is especially so as the country relies largely on imported medicine, according to Amrahi. About 90% of the drugs in Malaysia are procured from other nations, he said.
“I had told the government, let’s focus on our local industry, give them all the support,” he told The Vibes today.
“We said the nation must (hike) up its preparedness (over the impending shortage), because this is something anticipated. I’m sure my colleagues in the pharmacy division are very aware.
“At that time, when we raised this issue we were talking about what we currently had (in stock) in terms of the pharmaceutical industry. The point is we have to work with the industry.”
Asked why he felt the government had not taken the necessary measures to address the issue, Amrahi said this could be down to an underestimation of the impact and gravity of the pandemic.
“If we are able to control the pandemic, then fine. But if it gets out of control, this is what happens,” he said.
Amrahi was commenting on The Vibes’ report that highlighted a circular that pointed to the high demand for Covid-19 treatment leading to a severe drugs shortage, exacerbated by lockdown restrictions in various countries.
The August 4 internal circular, which was signed by Ipoh’s Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital’s (HRPB) pharmaceutical department head Normi Kamaruzaman, also claimed that stock levels in certain facilities in other states are more critical.
Amrahi said that if this claim is true, the shortage could affect treatments of various communicable and non-communicable diseases, with particular concern being for patients on long-term medications.
“What can be done now perhaps is for the prescribing doctor to substitute the drugs in question with a different kind, by going through the formulary,” he said.
Amrahi said at present, even if the country intends to produce more generic local drugs, getting the active pharmaceutical ingredients could prove a huge stumbling block as other manufacturers would similarly be scrambling for them.
He also questioned why an internal memo had been issued by HRPB when the matter should have been addressed straight to the higher echelons of the ministry.
“By right, they should report straight to the headquarters, the Pharmaceutical Services Division. I’m sure when we talk about logistics, they would have a system in place (to deal with it).
“In any case, the most important thing now is that if it is something that needs addressing, they must address it immediately,” he said. – The Vibes, August 7, 2021
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