KUALA LUMPUR: From 2015 to 2023, RM23.25bil was spent on medicine for public hospitals and clinics, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said that over the past eight years, the expenses for medication have increased by 30%.
"The increase in financial allocation aligns with the rising cost of medications, the growing number of patients and the use of new medications, which are typically still under patent and are more expensive," he said.
He added that the expenditure on medication will only increase year after year.
According to the year-on-year data that he revealed, the highest expenditure in the eight years was in 2022, which was RM3.19315bil and the lowest was in 2016, which was RM2.10761bil.
Dzulkefly said this during the minister's question time, responding to a question from Azli Yusof (PH-Shah Alam) about the total annual expenditure on medicines for public hospitals and clinics since 2015.
Azli Yusof also asked about the ministry's plans to ensure the country's medicine supply security through the development of technology and local production capacity.
Dzulkefly said that the ministry is enhancing supply chain transparency through the development of a pharmaceutical product tracking and tracing system.
"The availability of medicines listed in the National Essential Medicines List (NEML) which will encourage more local manufacturing and to give priority to registration and evaluation of medicinal products," he said.
He added that the ministry is collaborating with all stakeholders within the pharmaceutical ecosystem in the country, including various ministries and public agencies and the private sector, particularly industry players.
"Through these engagement sessions, the ministry is identifying the strengths and benefits of the local pharmaceutical industry based on the Asean Drug Security and Self-Reliance (ADSSR) plan," he said.
On the issue of insulin supply for diabetes, Dzulkefly said that the insulin shortage in August last year was due to production problems from the supply company, Biocons.
He said that the ministry will avoid sourcing insulin from one company in the future for human insulin and is currently negotiating for other companies for human insulin supply.
"We are also exploring other medications or anti-hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic agents, and we will continue to expand our sources,” he said in response to Dr Alias Razak (PN-Kuala Nerus)'s supplementary question.
Alias had asked about the government’s plans to ensure a secure supply of human insulin in the future, and efforts to reduce prices of human insulin.
