Materia Medica Malaysiana

Dr Chua Denies Govt To Stop Giving Free Medicine To The Poor

LABIS, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry does not intend to stop prescribing free medicine to patients, especially the poor, seeking treatment at government hospitals, Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said Monday.
Instead, the government only planned to set up private pharmacies at selected government hospitals to facilitate patients who could afford to get their medicine supply.
"As a trial, the ministry has identified the Putrajaya and Selayang hospitals to launch the concept before it is expanded to other hospitals," he told reporters after performing the ground-breaking for the Labis branch of the Muhibbah Haemodialysis Centre here.
He said the statement by his deputy Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad that the ministry planned to stop giving free medicine to patients was inaccurate.
On Saturday, Dr Abdul Latiff was reported to have said the Health Ministry proposed to stop giving free medicine to patients seeking treatment at government hospitals.
Dr Latiff's statement sparked objections from various groups saying the move would affect the poor seeking treatment at government hospitals.
Dr Chua said what was discussed was the proposal to set up private pharmacies at certain government hospitals following the call by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that patients who have the means should pay for their medicines when seeking treatment at government hospitals.
This, he said, was in line with the "full-paying patient" concept to be introduced to affordable patients suffering from ailments related to sedentary lifestyle like diabetes, hypertension and stress.
"It's true the cost of buying medicine has been on the rise from year to year and touched nearly RM1 billion or 15 per cent of the ministry's operational cost but the ministry never intended to stop prescribing free medicine to patients, especially to the poor and government employees.
Dr Chua said matters that might be studied were expensive medicines used by patients suffering from hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress and illnesses caused by sedentary lifestyle.
He indicated that patients might have to pay a nominal sum but the poor would still enjoy free medicine.