Page 11 - covid-19-pandemic-malaysia-journey

The CPC conducted weekly meetings to ensure a timely effort in concordance with the

current condition of COVID-19 in Malaysia. Judicious planning and strategies were carefully
carried out by the CPC in coordination with the MOH Crisis Preparedness and Response

Centre (CPRC). Regular information sharing between PSP and CPRC MOH were carried out

to better understand what were ahead. Under the leadership of CPC, MOH pharmacy
personnel worked extra hard to ensure the adequate access to medicines especially for

COVID-19 treatment, continuous supply of PPE through constant monitoring and

collaboration with the Medical Development Division and Public Health Development
Division, and sufficient human resources to maintain the services.

Datin Dr. Faridah Aryani Md.
Yusof, the Senior Director of
Pharmaceutical Services, MOH,
chairing the CPC meeting

During the first wave, or the early containment phase of COVID-19 in Malaysia, PSP had

initiated the close monitoring on a list of key medicines, hand sanitizers and PPE. When the

second wave of the pandemic hit, from 27 February 2020 until the MCO, the action was
further strengthened. Due to the significant increase in medicines usage during the COVID-

19 pandemic, an additional budget of about RM35.4 million was allocated to the MOH for

the procurement of medicines related to COVID-19 treatment.

Notably, a key challenge pertinent to COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented high

demand for its treatment. Owing that there was no standard treatment regime available for
COVID-19, close communication and discussions with the MOH Infectious Disease Team

were carried out to identify the list of drugs used in combatting COVID-19. These medicines

were then procured centrally at the MOH headquarters level through the Emergency
Procurement Procedure to accelerate the availability of medicines. This special procedure

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