KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry should compel concession companies such as Pharmaniaga Bhd to prioritise their supplies to government health facilities where more than 70% of the general population go for treatment, said DAP’s Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii.
Although the ministry has given assurances of sufficient stocks, he urged the government to draw up a long-term national medicine security strategy, given the country’s vulnerable position as a net importer of pharmaceutical products.
“While the Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali has downplayed the seriousness of the issue, it cannot be taken lightly as this will hit the entire healthcare system, seeing it’s a global supply issue.
“This issue is slowly rippling through the system now, and it’s only a matter of time before the public really feels it, especially once the stockpiles are gone, including generic drugs. It may be too late to do anything.”
He attributed the shortage to Malaysia’s entire supply of finished pharmaceutical products being either imported wholesale, or through the import of active pharmaceutical ingredients and pharmaceutical intermediates – both of which have been disrupted due to external events and a surge in demand.
This comes amid the Ukraine-Russia war, China’s zero-Covid-19 lockdown policies and bottlenecks in the global supply chain. China is the world’s number one supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients and pharmaceutical intermediates.
“In the short-term, the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) must do an extensive audit and stock count of all pharmaceutical stocks both public and private health facilities to understand the full extent of the country’s medicine shortage.
“It is also important that NPRA determines manufacturing capacities of manufacturers, turnover rate and stock holding,” said Dr Yii in a statement today.
He added that an advisory should be issued for healthcare providers to start rationing some supplies now and reconsider prescription quantities.
“NPRA can reconsider some alternative suppliers and brands of over-the-counter drugs, including those manufactured from Indonesia and Egypt. Such arrangements can be done through import permits to ensure adequate supply in our country for the time being.”
Dr Yii, a medical doctor by training, also chairs the parliamentary special select committee on Health, Science and Innovation.
Earlier, the Malaysian Association of Pharmaceutical Suppliers, Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia, Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia, and Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) sounded the alarm on the shortage of medications like antibiotics and over-the-counter drugs for fever, flu, and cough and cold, including cough and flu syrups for children.
MMA president Dr Koh Kah Chai said the issue had been ongoing since countries began easing on lockdown measures and resumed economic activities.
On Friday, the Health Ministry said Malaysia is not facing an overall medicine supply shortage, especially those containing paracetamol and vitamin C, as there are alternatives available while manufacturers have increased production. – The Vibes, June 5, 2022
