KUALA SELANGOR: The Ministry of Health (KKM) is prepared to scrutinise the proposal to fix a benchmark for the prices of medicine and pharmaceutical supplies in the future.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pix), who described the proposal good, said it must be given attention to ensure health cost and expenditure paid by the people were not burdensome.
‘’The proposal (fixing the prices of medicine and pharmaceutical supplies) surely came from the parties responsible for ensuring the costs paid the people were logical.
‘’I will pay attention to the proposal,’’ he told reporters after launching a circumcision ceremony at the An-Nur Endowment Clinic, Nurul Iman Mosque, Ijok, here today.
He said this when commenting on the suggestions of insurance and takaful industry players for KKM to study the possibility of fixing a bench mark for the prices of medicine and pharmaceutical supplies seeing the increasing cost of health.
The industry players were also reported as saying that the spendings on health last year was RM60.147 billion with 52% being borne by the government, 35% being paid by the households themselves and the rest by private sector insurance (7%), corporation (4%) and other agencies (2%).
According to the group too, if the cost of health care was not controlled, increases in medical insurance and health premiums would no longer be avoidable.
In the meantime, the charity circumcision today was jointly organised by the KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital, Pertubuhan Sosial Orang Kuala Selangor and the Selangor Tithe Board.
A total 80 children, aged nine to 12 years, from Kuala Selangor took part in the mass circumcision programme which was held for free following contributions by the organisers. — Bernama
