Fears of dialysis supply crunch prompt Warisan to call for decisive intervention

 

As Malaysia faces a potential shortage of dialysis-related medical supplies, Warisan has called on the federal government to take immediate and decisive action.

The party’s health adviser, Dr Istefan Koh, said the government must prioritise establishing strategic stockpiles of dialysis consumables, while implementing effective price monitoring and intervention mechanisms to prevent excessive cost increases.

“At the same time, efforts should be accelerated to diversify supply sources and reduce reliance on single-region imports,” he added in a statement.

On Tuesday, CodeBlue reported that Malaysia may be heading towards a shortage of dialysers and other haemodialysis (HD) components, a life-saving treatment relied on by more than 50,000 patients nationwide.

The report cited Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy chief executive Azrul Khalib as saying that while there is no confirmed nationwide shortage of dialysers at present, distributors are increasingly worried that a “shortage is already occurring, or about to occur, in pockets of smaller dialysis centres and charities across the country which are particularly vulnerable”.

He also noted that the prices of these critical medical devices are reportedly rising.

“Dialysers, especially for single use, are a massive consumable that is required for dialysis. This will impact particularly those who depend on imported dialysers, especially if current supply chain disruptions worsen.

“The risk is being driven by the West Asia conflict, higher fuel and freight costs, shipping delays, and Malaysia’s dependence on imported medical devices, components, and raw materials.

“Although Malaysia does have local manufacturing capacity for dialysers, the majority are imported. Local manufacturers are also vulnerable to imported raw materials, components, and disruptions to global shipping routes,” Azrul said.

Higher costs, reduced availability

Koh pointed out that dialysis consumables are heavily dependent on petroleum-derived materials, and with global supply chains tightening, healthcare providers are increasingly facing higher procurement costs and reduced availability, placing significant strain on both public and private healthcare institutions.

He said these rising costs may inevitably be passed on to patients, further increasing the burden on families already struggling with long-term medical expenses.

According to the Warisan health adviser, the situation has also exposed deeper structural weaknesses in Malaysia’s healthcare system, particularly its continued reliance on imported medical supplies and the lack of sufficient strategic reserves.

Dr Istefan Koh

“Without adequate preparation, prolonged disruptions could severely impact treatment capacity across the country.

“The situation raises several critical concerns, including the risk to patient lives due to potential treatment disruptions, escalating healthcare costs, and the lack of a robust national buffer for essential medical consumables.

“It also highlights the urgent need to address Malaysia’s dependence on fragile global supply chains and to strengthen domestic resilience,” he added.

Koh said the situation also underscores the importance of developing and strengthening local manufacturing capacity for medical-grade components to ensure long-term sustainability and supply security.

“Authorities must also ensure greater transparency and coordination with healthcare providers, so that any potential disruptions can be managed proactively without compromising patient care.

“As concerns continue to mount, this issue is no longer merely a supply chain challenge - it is increasingly being viewed as a matter of national healthcare security.

“Urgent and coordinated action is essential to ensure that no patient is left at risk due to preventable shortages or uncontrolled cost increases,” he added. - Mkini