The Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia (MPCAM) would like to thank the Health Minister, Dr S Subramaniam, and the director-general of Health, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, and members of the Pharmaceutical Services Department of the Health Ministry for accommodating the views of all parties who had given their feedback at the Pharmacy Bill stakeholders meeting held in Port Dickson late last year, which was conducted by the neutral body from the Prime Minister’s Department, Pemandu.

The decision made by the minister on May 9, 2016, has been welcomed by consumer associations and other NGOs as it was made with the best interest of the public in mind, after taking into consideration the viewpoints of over 100 participants representing various professions, industry players, unionists, NGOs and consumer groups throughout the nation.

Though pharmacists have objected to the decision made by the minister, consumers groups such as the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) and the Malaysian Consumer Movement (MCM) have acknowledged that the hybrid model is probably the best solution in the interim, until the introduction of health transformation and the national health financing scheme.

This interim solution is the best model, keeping in mind the best interests of the public.

DR RAJ KUMAR MAHARAJAH is a member of the Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia’s (MPCAM) central committee.