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KUALA LUMPUR (May 25): Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said any price adjustments for medicines and medical devices will be done selectively, based on risk levels and actual needs, as the government manages supplies during a global supply crisis.
In his weekly live stream on Monday, he said the National Energy Council (MTEN) has agreed that the Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue ongoing efforts to ensure sufficient stocks of medicines and medical devices. This is especially focused on critical and high-risk items to avoid shortages and maintain stability in the healthcare system.
Akmal said MOH will continue mitigation efforts to ensure sufficient supplies, particularly for critical and high-risk items, while the MTEN remains the central platform for cross-ministerial coordination.
Any early signs of supply disruptions, cost surges or risks will be swiftly escalated for policy action, he added.
Akmal added that supplies of medicines and medical devices are stable and under control, including for senior citizens. There was no question-and-answer session after his briefing.
As at May 8, the majority of the country’s medicine supply remains sufficient, with 72% of items classified as low risk, 11.3% as medium risk and 16.8% as high risk, requiring ongoing monitoring and mitigation.
For medical devices, 81.7% are classified as low risk, 13.5% as medium risk and 4.8% as high risk, with vulnerabilities largely due to reliance on imported raw materials and key components.
Since the onset of the Middle East crisis, Akmal said the government has rolled out phased measures to ensure a stable supply of medicines and medical devices.
These include regular supply monitoring via a special task force; strengthening buffer stocks for high-risk medicines; diversifying supply sources through partnerships with countries such as China, Japan and Uzbekistan; activating a Special Access Pathway to expedite approvals for critical imports; and developing the domestic medical device industry to reduce reliance on imports.