Outlining several temporary measures to deal with a medicine supply shortage, he said private hospitals and clinics could apply to obtain supplies “on loan” from government facilities or other private hospitals.

He said government hospitals and clinics could consider making loans of relevant medicines if they had sufficient supply for their own use.

Patients undergoing treatment in private healthcare facilities could also be referred to government hospitals and clinics to continue their treatment, Khairy said.

He added that such patients may also buy their medicines from community pharmacies using prescriptions from private hospitals or clinics.

Khairy said the health ministry would soon start sharing a list of medicines whose supply had been disrupted, with recommendations for alternative products.

“This is to minimise the impact of the current situation and optimise the use of other available generic brands as an alternative,” he said.

He assured that the ministry is also looking at other long-term solutions.

On Thursday, Khairy said the medicine shortage, especially at certain pharmacies and private healthcare facilities, was a result of high demand for certain medicines following the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and the increasing number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases.