Health Minister pledges transparency in medical supply chain

PETALING JAYA: Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has vowed to ensure a more transparent medicine supply chain process, following revelations that drug procurement under the previous government was rigged.
He said the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) government would fix any weaknesses practised presently, and ensure that any wastages in the ministry are dealt with immediately.
"I would like to reiterate my statement previously, that the ministry will ensure the drug supply chain process is efficient, responsible, and transparent.
"It is PH's aspiration to ensure that any weaknesses are rectified, and that we will deal with any form of wastage and leakeges, including any wrongdoings if proven," he said in a tweet this morning.
A 12 page document that has recently emerged claims that companies linked to politicians close to the previous government have been controlling the supply of billions of ringgit worth of medical drugs to the government.
This, the dossier claimed, allowed them a monopoly of some sort that could have increased the cost of drugs supplied to government hospitals and clinics.
The document, which was submitted to Dzulkefly yesterday, listed 20 companies linked to several prominent individuals, including former ministers, members of the royal family, a former high-ranking Felda officer and a former ambassador to the US.
It is believed these companies were awarded tenders by the ministry and reaped contracts worth close to RM4 billion between 2013 and 2016.
The document added that the tenders also went to six main agents, who were collectively awarded RM3.4bil or 90.93% of the total sum.