Array
(
    [_edit_lock] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1732008472:30
        )

    [tdc_dirty_content] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [tdc_icon_fonts] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:0:{}
        )

    [_thumbnail_id] => Array
        (
            [0] => 236606
        )

    [_edit_last] => Array
        (
            [0] => 30
        )

    [onesignal_meta_box_present] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [onesignal_send_notification] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [onesignal_modify_title_and_content] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [onesignal_notification_custom_heading] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [onesignal_notification_custom_content] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_post_language] => Array
        (
            [0] => English
        )

    [_molongui_author] => Array
        (
            [0] => guest-97695
        )

    [_molongui_main_author] => Array
        (
            [0] => guest-97695
        )

    [td_post_theme_settings] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:1:{s:11:"td_subtitle";s:89:"Health Minister says bill was RM3 billion last year, and expected to rise in coming years";}
        )

    [_yoast_wpseo_primary_category] => Array
        (
            [0] => 599
        )

    [_yoast_wpseo_content_score] => Array
        (
            [0] => 30
        )

    [_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2
        )

    [_yoast_wpseo_wordproof_timestamp] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_stopmodifiedupdate] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_modified_date] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [footnotes] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [post_views_count] => Array
        (
            [0] => 110
        )

    [post_views_count_7_day_arr] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:7:{i:0;a:2:{s:4:"date";i:0;s:5:"count";i:0;}i:1;a:2:{s:4:"date";i:0;s:5:"count";i:0;}i:2;a:2:{s:4:"date";i:0;s:5:"count";i:0;}i:3;a:2:{s:4:"date";i:0;s:5:"count";i:0;}i:4;a:3:{s:4:"date";s:10:"1747993304";s:5:"count";i:1;s:14:"per_hour_count";a:1:{i:9;i:1;}}i:5;a:2:{s:4:"date";i:0;s:5:"count";i:0;}i:6;a:3:{s:4:"date";s:10:"1748181024";s:5:"count";i:3;s:14:"per_hour_count";a:2:{i:13;i:2;i:14;i:1;}}}
        )

    [post_view_7days_last_day] => Array
        (
            [0] => 6
        )

    [post_views_count_7_day_last_date] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1748181024
        )

    [post_views_count_7_day_total] => Array
        (
            [0] => 4
        )

    [post_views_last_24_hours] => Array
        (
            [0] => 3
        )

    [post_views_last_48_hours] => Array
        (
            [0] => 3
        )

)
Public healthcare spending on medicines rose 30% over last eight years | Scoop
The government spent a total of RM23.25 billion on medications from 2015 to 2023, and attributes rising annual expenditure to the increase in medicine prices, higher number of patients and procurement of newer, patented drugs. - Scoop file pic, November 19, 2024
News

Public healthcare spending on medicines rose 30% over last eight years

Health Minister says bill was RM3 billion last year, and expected to rise in coming years

Scoop Reporters
Updated
5:27 PM MYT

 

KUALA LUMPUR —  Government hospitals and clinics have been spending 30% more on medicines over the last eight years, reaching RM3 billion in 2023, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said in 2015, expenditure on medicines was RM2.3 billion, while the total spent on medicines for the eight years was RM23.25.

Dzulkefly attributed the increased allocation for spending to the rise in medicine prices.

Other factors include the higher number of patients, and the use of new, patented medications, which are typically more expensive, Bernama reported him saying during the question and answer session today.

“According to the Statistics of the Pharmaceutical Services Programme, a total of RM23.25 billion has been spent on medications from 2015 to 2023.

“The ministry projects that the expenditure on medication at Health Ministry facilities will continue to increase annually,” he in reply to a question from Azli Yusof (Shah Alam-PH) about the total annual expenditure on medicines for public hospitals and clinics since 2015 and the estimated spending for the next five years.

Azli also asked about the ministry’s plans to ensure the country’s medicine supply security through the development of technology and local production capacity.

According to Dzulkefly, several strategies had been developed based on the National Medicines Policy (DUNas) under its Access to Medicines Component to safeguard the nation’s medicine security.

He said that among the strategies implemented were ensuring the availability of medicines under the National Essential Medicine List (NEML) by encouraging local manufacturing, prioritising product evaluation and registration, and enhancing supply chain transparency through the development of a pharmaceutical product tracking and tracing system.

“In addition, the ministry is collaborating with all stakeholders in the country’s pharmaceutical ecosystem, covering areas such as pre-clinical and clinical studies, manufacturing and distribution.

“Through this engagement session, we aim to identify the strengths and potential of the local pharmaceutical industry to be included in the action plan and the ASEAN Drug Security and Self-Reliance (ADSSR) strategic collaboration,” he said. – November 19, 2024

Topics

 

◉ Popular

Asiad: CDM confident contingent can achieve target of 27 medals

The Malaysian contingent to the Asian Games is confident they can achieve the target of 27 medals, with eight days of competition remaining before the closing ceremony on October 8.

[LIVE] Nik Elin v Kelantan: justices void 16 out of 18 provisions, over 500 gathered outside

The justices rule that only two Sections out of 18 provisions contended are legal, which are Section 13 (selling or giving away a child to non-Muslim or morally reprehensible Muslim) and Section 30.

Haji Furada: Hajar Sazrul Travel & Tours diperintah bayar RM634,000 kepada 25 bekas pelanggan

Mereka terdiri daripada kumpulan 15 individu yang telah berlepas ke Jeddah selepas menerima e-visa namun terkandas di Lapangan Terbang King Abdul Aziz kerana visa terbabit adalah palsu manakala 10 lagi belum berlepas kerana tidak menerima e-visa walaupun sudah menjelaskan semua bayaran pakej haji dalam insiden pada 2019

◉ Related

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved.