PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry will look into the possibility of engaging with pharmaceutical companies to bring nicotine patches and gum to government clinics as part of its efforts to reduce the smoking habit among the public.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry will explore the suggestion as the ministry was also aware that there were still smokers who did not want to kick the habit.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah meanwhile said if the engagements succeed, the government will consider distributing the products at government clinics.
“All of these supplies are from pharmacies, commercialised items, not from the health ministry. If someone buys them from the pharmacy, they would be charged the commercial price.
“So the ministry will engage with commercial companies to see if we can bring it to our clinics,” he said.
Noor Hisham added that he would look into what could be done to reduce the price of nicotine patches and gum to help smokers kick the habit.
