In the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, commonly used Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be kept at controlled prices. We appreciate the government’s efforts in controlling the prices of face masks; however, the cost of disposable gloves seem to be spiking every month.
| Type of Disposable Gloves | Current Price | Pre-Pandemic Price |
| Latex Disposable Gloves | RM 510 per carton | RM 110 per carton |
| Nitrile Disposable Gloves | RM 520 – RM 610 per carton | RM 130 per carton |
This hike in costs has caused an additional burden on private dental practitioners, causing them to cover their expenses by passing the increase to patient consultation fees.
Not only are private practitioners trying to fight the pandemic and keep their businesses afloat, but now we are further burdened by the increasing costs of PPE, an essential item for their work.
Malaysia is deemed to be a major global producer of rubber products, and yet we are paying exorbitant prices for disposable gloves.
We have already addressed our concerns to the Ministry of Health, but we have yet to receive a response. We hope by airing our grievances on Code Blue, we will be heard and necessary actions taken to remedy this problem soon.
Dr P. Mahendran is the president of the Malaysian Private Dental Practitioners’ Association.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
