Health Ministry not solely reliant on Pharmaniaga for medicine supplies, says Dr Zaliha

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry is not solely dependent on Pharmaniaga Bhd to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medicine to health facilities in the country, says Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

She said that there was no disruption in medicine supplies at the moment, and said Pharmaniaga was only involved in logistics.

“In terms of pharmaceutical services, we have several ways of dealing directly with the relevant companies. As such, there is no impact on the supply of medications to the ministry’s health facilities,” she told the press on Thursday (Aug 17).

ALSO READ: Pharmaniaga is now a PN17 company

Previously, Dr Zaliha told the Dewan Rakyat that Pharmaniaga being given Practice Note 17 (PN17) status under Bursa Malaysia's listing requirements did not affect its logistics arm’s service in distributing medicines to ministry facilities.

In a written reply dated June 6, she said the ministry was made to understand that the PN17 status imposed on Pharmaniaga was due to accounting streamlining that had to be done according to the Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards (MFRS) and the practices of good governance.

ALSO READ: Pharmaniaga's status won't affect medicine distribution to Health Ministry, says Dr Zaliha

She added that the PN17 status was due to the allocation of the Covid-19 vaccine which was a slow-moving stock.

Pharmaniaga was classified under the PN17 category on Bursa Malaysia on Feb 27.

In a filing with the stock exchange, the pharmaceutical company said it had triggered the PN17 criteria pursuant to its audited consolidated financial statements for the period ending Dec 31 last year.

ALSO READ: Pharmaniaga charts strategic initiatives to exit PN17 status

Earlier on Thursday, Dr Zaliha opened the Healthcare Facility Management Conference & Exhibition 2023 (HcFM CONFEX 2023) in Putrajaya.

HcFM CONFEX 2023, returning after a 25-year hiatus, is a conference and exhibition of hospital support services (PSH) featuring talks, panel discussions and workshops on the latest trends and developments in the field.

It is organised by five main PSH providers namely Radicare (M) Sdn Bhd, UEM Edgenta Mediserve Sdn Bhd, Medivest Sdn Bhd, Sedafiat Sdn Bhd and One Medicare Sdn Bhd in collaboration with the ministry's Engineering Services Division.