KUCHING: Recently, there were news reports claiming that patients at government hospitals and clinics were being given two weeks’ supply of anti-hypertensive drugs instead of a month’s supply.
Stampin MP Dr Kevin Yii said yesterday he had contacted Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye to clarify whether there had been a policy change in the dispensing of the medicine. Yii said many members of the public had complained about the inconvenience caused by the change in the supply of the medicine.
“The patients are now forced to come back to the hospitals and clinics more often to get the medicine.
“This not only forces them to travel more from their homes to the hospitals and clinics but also to go through the whole registration and waiting process again in order to get the medicine.”
Yii added: “According to the policy set by the Pharmacy Department under the Health Ministry for all government hospitals and clinics since last year, the maximum dosage given at one time is set at one month’s supply.
“This is done due to budget cuts in previous years and also to prevent wastage as some patients take extra medication for a few months from the pharmacy but end up not consuming it.
“However, since the middle of 2018, the dispensing of anti-hypertensive drug, specifically Telmisartan Tablets (40 mg and 80 mg) to patients had to be reduced from one month to half a month (two weeks).
“This is due to problems with the medicine supply chain because of the lack of the drug supply from the pharmaceutical company appointed by the Health Ministry. This company has the contract to supply such medications to all government health facilities. The ministry was informed that the lack of drug supply was due to manufacturing problems.”
“So, temporarily, the Pharmacy Department has informed the medical doctors to prescribe alternative anti-hypertensive medications like Losartan Tablets if the conditions of patients permit.
“However, if the patients continue to require Telmisartan Tablets (40 mg 80 mg), they will then have no choice but to prescribe them in stages for a maximum two weeks at one time.”
Yii said the ministry had assured that the situation was temporary and the supplier had given its assurance that the lack of medicine supply was being addressed.
“There is no change in the policy or a cut in the medical budget as claimed by some quarters,” he added.
“Fact of the matter is, since the Pakatan Harapan government took over, even with all the limitations and financial constraints, it has allocated the biggest allocations to healthcare in history in the budget, an increase of 7.8% from the previous health budget in 2018. This again shows our commitment and focus on healthcare and to take care of the needs of our people,” said Yii.
He urged the ministry to quickly address the issue which caused inconveniences to the patients.
“I will continue to follow up with the relevant ministry to make sure that this issue is properly and quickly addressed. Healthcare is not something that should be jeopardised even in tough financial times,” said Yii.
