Umno Youth leader Dr Akmal Saleh and Kuala Langat MP Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi urge the government to pay for diabetes patients to get insulin from university hospitals or private facilities, amid a severe shortage in MOH. Dr Akmal suggests the use of vouchers.
KUALA LUMPUR, August 22 — Government and Opposition lawmakers have urged Putrajaya to fund the cost of diabetes patients obtaining insulin from university hospitals or private health care facilities, amid a critical shortage in the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Melaka state health and anti-drug executive councillor Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh told the federal government to quickly resolve the nationwide insulin shortage crisis.
“If the government stock is running out of insulin, the idea of giving out vouchers to the B40 (bottom 40 per cent) is a must so that they can buy it at private facilities,” Dr Akmal, who is also Merlimau assemblyman, told CodeBlue yesterday.
“There is no compromise on people’s health.”
The Umno Youth leader also expressed support for the Malaysian government to pay pharmaceutical companies more for insulin if needed. CodeBlue understands that the insulin price for MOH Malaysia is among the lowest prices globally.
CodeBlue reported yesterday a severe shortage of human insulin in Malaysia, due to reported supply issues with Indian global biosimilars company Biocon Biologics that runs Asia’s largest integrated insulin manufacturing and R&D facility in Johor.
It is unclear how much of the insulin stock produced in the Johor plant goes to the domestic market and how much is exported outside Malaysia. The MOH procures human insulin from two drugmakers: Biocon (supplied by Biocon Sdn Bhd and Duopharma Sdn Bhd) and Novo Nordisk (supplied by Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd) at an 80:20 ratio.
Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) health committee head Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi described the insulin shortage crisis as a “very serious” issue.
“This isn’t just an issue of funding allocation, but an issue of management that I see to be very critical,” the Kuala Langat MP told CodeBlue yesterday.
“This involves the right of patients to get treated professionally and accurately. Critical patients are treated with insulin; there is no other choice. The minister must act urgently.”
Two other government MPs from Pakatan Harapan – Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok – have also criticised the government for the seemingly annual occurrence of insulin shortages in the country.
After publication of CodeBlue’s story yesterday on Malaysia’s insulin shortage crisis, complaints have emerged online about some health care facilities having already completely run out of insulin, with all their diabetes patients switched back to oral medications.
“Patients on insulin treatment must continue to receive insulin. If it’s true that patients are being forced to switch to oral medications, this is disappointing, especially for patients who no longer find oral medicines to be effective,” Dr Ahmad Yunus said.
Like Dr Akmal, the PAS lawmaker similarly urged the government to immediately fund the cost of insulin for patients from alternative sources, including university hospitals, as well as private hospitals or pharmacies.
A 42-year-old patient interviewed by CodeBlue had said he currently obtains Novo Nordisk insulin from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for RM22 each month; the lifesaving diabetes medication has been provided ever since he underwent a heart bypass surgery at the university hospital last May.
“This is not the time to burden patients with co-payments. There is no reason for the government not to bear the cost of medications at this time,” Dr Ahmad Yunus said.
The Opposition MP also questioned if the government has “failed” to control diabetes in the country, pointing out that health advocacy and education should have been mainstay programmes to encourage healthy lifestyles.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, about 15.6 per cent of Malaysian adults (3.6 million people) have diabetes.