The housing and local development ministry is planning to place vending machines that dispense medicines at people’s housing projects or PPRs.
Minister Nga Kor Ming said these vending machines or kiosks would help improve access to medicine in lower-income areas.
“So when our children are sick in the middle of the night, they don’t have to go to a pharmacy. They will have a 24-hour kiosk, similar to those for soft drinks. The kiosk will have medicines such as Panadol and also vitamins.
“This (initiative) will involve the cooperation of both my ministry and the health ministry.
“It is a very good initiative and is worth exploring,” he said after witnessing the signing of an MoU with the health ministry on several collaborative initiatives such as disaster management.
Also present was health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
Nga said the project was in the early stages of planning, with no timeline set for its implementation. He said his ministry would also look into acquiring the medical supplies.
“My secretary-general will work with the health ministry’s secretary-general on this.”
Apart from disaster management, the MoU between the two ministries also involved “holistic use of resources, sharing of expertise and knowledge” as well as “more efficient financial allocation management”.
The collaboration is expected to save an estimated RM15 million annually. – FMT