KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the pharmaceutical sector in Sabah is worth about RM300 million and represents roughly over 7.1 per cent of the overall national pharmaceutical industry presently worth RM4.2 billion per annum.
According to Rosnah, “Malaysia is a country with very successful primary healthcare programmes and the government has taken several initiatives such as the establishment of 1Malaysia clinics, the postal delivery service of medicines and the 1Care for 1Malaysia Programme.
“The programmes will undoubtedly continue to provide new opportunities for development and progress,” she said in a speech at the opening of Medical Supplies Sabah’s (MSS) new warehouse in Kolombong yesterday.
The text of her speech was delivered by the senior director of the Pharmaceutical Services division of the Ministry of Health, Datuk Eisah A Rahman who officiated at the opening on her behalf.
Rosnah said the pharmaceutical industry is an integral part of the country’s healthcare programme and an important part of the National Transformation Programme (NTP) as well as the National Key Result Areas (NKRA).
The transformation of the country’s healthcare has been identified as one of the main focus under the programme.
Meanwhile, MSS managing director, Datuk Nancy Ho said, the potential for growth in the pharmaceutical domain is huge especially in the manufacturing of halal medicines.
Ho said there was still a lot of scope and avenues to be explored in the industry as the push towards meeting the growing demand from the health-conscious society increases.
Ho also said that the standard of practice of healthcare in Malaysia is considered world class where stringent tests are imposed by the National Drug Control centre to ensure the quality of the pharmaceutical sector.