It is imperative to encourage more companies to manufacture minimally invasive devices, point-of-care products, and medical devices to support the NIMP.
The NIMP 2030 promotes integration of value chains for better local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), vaccines, insulin, and medical devices.
Even though Pharmaniaga supplied insufficient and defective ventilators to MOH during the Covid pandemic, the unity government has renewed Pharmaniaga's contract for medical supply logistics services to MOH for 7 years from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2030.
The EU-Asean Business Council calls for increased access to OTC medicines and health advice in pharmacies in Malaysia, as part of self-care, to reduce the burden on GPs or emergency departments, so that these facilities can focus on more serious cases.
MOH has decided to renew its medicine supply concession with Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd (PLSB) for another decade because of its "excellent" 98% rate in filling delivery orders, says Zaliha Mustafa. PLSB had supplied MOH defective ventilators in 2020.
Galen Centre CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib says the Ministry of Health’s decision to renew its concession agreement with Pharmaniaga Bhd signals a confirmation that the health system is vulnerable, at risk and heavily dependent on a single company.