GOVT HOSPITALS, CLINICS HAVE SUFFICIENT MEDICINES - HEALTH MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry has never reduced the
budget for purchase of medicines, and all government hospitals and clinics are
supplied with sufficient medicines, Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Monday.

He said the government always strived to ensure that hospitals and clinics,
including 1Malaysia clinics, were not short of medicines.

"We supply sufficient medicines, and it is up to the hospitals and clinics
to manage them with prudence," he said when replying to a question from Tan Kok
Wai, a member of parliament when winding up debate on the 10th Malaysia Plan for
the ministry in the House of Representatives.

Tan asked why there was a shortage of medicines in government clinics when
the government had promised to make available a quality health service.

Liow refuted Tan's allegation of a shortage of medicines in government
clinics and asked the MP to state the name of the particular clinic or doctor
for an investigation to be conducted.


Liow said if a particular brand of medicine was not in stock, the doctor
could dispense another brand for the same illness.

He said doctors could suggest to the ministry new types of effective
medicine not supplied by the ministry for the treatment of any illness.

Liow also said that the separation of roles between the provider of health
service and the regulator did not mean that the government was neglecting its
duty to maintain the people's health.

"We give autonomy to hospitals to compete to provide the best service. They
should have ways to step up the effectiveness of their service.

"Regulatory, legal and policy matters are decided by the ministry. Do not be
confused by this," he said when replying to a question from Dr Lee Boon Chye, a
MP on the separation of roles to be implemented by the ministry under
the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015).

-- BERNAMA



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