KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry will release parts of its stockpile of medicines for common illnesses to the private sector, amid severe shortages in the industry.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin made the announcement in the Dewan Rakyat today, as private health facilities struggle to cope with the high public demand of late supposedly due to the spread of a seasonal influenza.
He also attributed the shortages to several external factors such as the Covid-19 lockdown in China and the geopolitical tensions, which he said have taken a toll on countries globally.
Addressing the lower House, Khairy said he had held a discussion last Thursday with pharmacists, pharmaceutical associations and drug manufacturers to address the issue, and identified the shortages to medicines involving common flu, fever and cough, among others.
“As such, I have decided that the government stockpile will be released to private health facilities to cope with these shortages,” he said.
Khairy said industry players have been told to inform the ministry of the list of required drugs by this evening, before the products are released and sold to them.
He added that drug manufacturers have also given assurance that the shortage issue is expected to be resolved once more active pharmaceutical ingredients are imported into the country beginning next month.
“In the meantime, we provide federal stockpiles to cover the shortages.”
He was responding to a supplementary question from Lim Guan Eng (Bagan-PH) on the apparent shortage of various medicines in the market today and how the issue can be addressed.
Second booster extended to 50 to 59-year-olds
On a separate issue, Khairy announced today that the ministry has decided to expand the Covid-19 second booster programme to those aged between 50 and 59, amid the increasing number of infections in recent weeks due to the spread of new variants.
However, Khairy pointed out that to date, only 225,848 individuals qualified for the second booster shot have taken their jabs, with close to a staggering seven million Malaysians yet to be administered the shot.
The expansion is one of several proactive measures taken by the government in facing the spread of the new variants.
Among other initiatives include reactivating the National Covid-19 Rapid Response Task Force and ensuring all Covid-19 Assessment Centres are capable of handling a high influx of patients.
On whether the current vaccines under the government’s immunisation programme is efficient against the new variants, he said the ministry is presently monitoring the manufacturing of new generation vaccines.
“Once they are deemed efficient and safe, then we may consider procuring them in the future,” he said. – The Vibes, July 19, 2022
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