He said the medications were still being received in stages as the health ministry had taken various measures to overcome the problem of supply.
He said the demand for medicines used in the treatment of Covid-19 had increased drastically since May this year, following a spike in cases not only in Malaysia but also worldwide.
Noor Hisham said the demand for medicines in the country had increased by 10 to 15 times compared with the pre-Covid-19 pandemic period, and this had affected the level of stock for Covid-19 medicines in public hospitals.
“The health ministry was told of disruptions in supplies from pharmaceutical companies overseas following the pandemic and local manufacturers also have limited capability to provide a large amount of stock in a short period.
“This is due to a shortage of raw materials faced by producers and an unstable flow of additional raw materials into the country,” he said in a statement today in response to media reports on the shortage of the Covid-19 medicines.
Noor Hisham said the health ministry had taken several measures to overcome the problem, including keeping in constant communication with suppliers to get priority supply for Malaysia, and seeking alternative sources of medications using federal contracts.
The health ministry had also made emergency procurements at the national and state health department levels, apart from facilitating off-contract purchases for 21 types of medicines related to Covid-19 treatment.
“The health ministry also continues to hold discussions with medical specialists on alternative medicines that are suitable for use to ensure continuity in treatment.
“This is not limited to the health ministry’s Medicines Formulary but encompasses all registered and non-registered medicines which can be obtained to meet our needs,” he added.
Noor Hisham said for the sake of the people’s well-being, the health ministry was committed to cooperating with various parties to ensure the availability of medical supplies and the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines procured.
Yesterday, a news portal quoted sources as saying that many government hospitals across the country are facing a critical shortage of medications, including Clexane, which is an important anti-coagulant drug used to treat Covid-19 patients.
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