Expenditure on medicine for public hospitals, clinics up 30% in eight years - Dzulkefly

KUALA LUMPUR: Expenditure on medicine for public hospitals and clinics increased by 30 per cent over eight years, reaching RM3 billion in 2023 from RM2.3 billion in 2015, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the rise in financial allocation aligned with rising medicine prices, the growing number of patients and the use of new, patented medications, which were typically more expensive.

“According to the Statistics of the Pharmaceutical Services Programme, a total of RM23.25 billion has been spent on medications from 2015 to 2023.

“The Ministry of Health (MOH) projects that the expenditure on medication at MOH facilities will continue to increase annually,” he said during the question-and-answer session.

He said this in response to a question from Azli Yusof (PH-Shah Alam) about the total annual expenditure on medicines for public hospitals and clinics since 2015 and the estimated spending for the next five years.