Health ministry denies insulin shortage crisis

 

Code Blue was made to understand that the supply of human insulin ‘is especially dire’ in Selangor, with reports of shortages in Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Melaka, and Kedah. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

The health ministry has denied a report of an insulin shortage crisis, saying only one of its many suppliers ran into production issues.

In a statement, the ministry said that diabetics are treated with three types of insulins, namely, human insulin, insulin analogues and oral hypoglycaemic agents.

And of the 41 medications used to treat diabetics, only human insulin is facing a shortage issue.

As a whole, the ministry would like to assert that treatment of diabetics at our facilities remains uninterrupted.

The ministry also said that its facilities are supplied with human insulin by several companies, one of which is a local firm.

It said that the local company ran into production issues which affected the supply of human insulin to the ministry’s facilities.

To ensure that the treatment of patients is uninterrupted, the ministry has taken several approaches, including increasing the use of insulin analogues and oral hypoglycaemic agents based on the assessment of the respective doctors.

The ministry also said it was ramping up efforts to ensure sufficient insulin supply by diversifying its suppliers.

Yesterday, health portal Code Blue reported that an insulin shortage crisis has hit the ministry’s facilities nationwide, due to reported supply issues with a local manufacturer.

Code Blue was made to understand that the supply of human insulin 

is especially dire

 in Selangor, with reports of shortages in Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Melaka, and Kedah.

It also reported that the shortage had reached 

critical levels, with certain public healthcare facilities now expected to completely run out of insulin stocks this week.

Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii had also raised the alarm yesterday over what he said was a recurring insulin shortage, calling it a serious threat particularly to diabetic patients in vulnerable groups such as the elderly, low-income individuals and those in rural areas.

We are even getting reports that due to the shortage, patients are forced to switch to oral medication instead, which may not be as effective,

 he said.

Yii said it was concerning that the issue was apparently an annual recurrence and it reflected poorly on the government’s planning and management to ensure a steady supply of such critical medication. - FMT