Sabah hospital reduces meds for patients as stocks dwindle

 

The Queen Elizabeth II Hospital (HQE2) in Kota Kinabalu is reducing the medications it prescribes to patients as stocks are dwindling.

News portal Daily Express reported that the hospital will continue to do so for two weeks until new stocks arrive.

A hospital spokesperson assured the public that the situation is temporary.

"We are in the process of procuring new stock from our suppliers.

"Meanwhile, we are taking steps to monitor and control the current supply to reduce wastage," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Daily Express.

This will ensure there is enough supply of medication for all patients receiving treatment at the hospital, he added. 

Previously, patients will usually receive medication supply for up to a month at one time.

Normal supply by year-end 

The spokesperson however did not reject the possibility that some patients will receive more than two weeks' amount of medication, saying that they are allocating supply on a case-by-case basis.

"We are working hard to overcome the medication supply reduction and hope to once again provide one month supply to patients by the end of this year," the spokesperson added.

One person, who identified himself as Ritchie, told Daily Express that he was shocked to receive only two weeks supply of medication.

The man was told to come back to the hospital when his supply runs out. 

He felt that he was putting himself at greater risk of being infected with Covid-19 by needing to make more trips to the hospital.

"I'm in the high-risk group. I think it will be too risky for me to go to HQE2 while I know I'm vulnerable to be infected with the disease," the 72-year-old said. 

To this, the spokesperson said the hospital could not provide a drive-thru pharmacy like the one at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital due to the lack of space.

"A check in the list of medication this patient is receiving also shows that they are in liquid form and sensitive to temperature.

"This stops him from using our 'meds by post' service," he said, referring to medication delivery via courier services. - Mkini