Malaysia calls for WHO-led pooled medicine purchasing amid supply risks

Malaysia has proposed a pooled procurement project for medicines in the WHO Western Pacific Region to address drug security amid supply chain and geopolitical challenges.

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad emphasised establishing an ASEAN Medicines Security Dashboard and strategic manufacturing alliances to ensure reliable medicine supplies.

Malaysia has implemented national pooled procurement and established a medicine buffer stock, leading ASEAN efforts for drug security and self-reliance while engaging in global health diplomacy.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Malaysia has proposed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) Western Pacific Region (WPRO) urgently pilot a pooled procurement project for selected medicines to ensure drug security in the region.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said the move was urgent as almost the entire region is facing critical challenges due to disrupted supply chains, market uncertainty, and high reliance on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) imports, with international geopolitical conflicts worsening the situation.

“Regional diplomacy and solidarity today must be translated beyond mere expressions of good intentions. To protect the survival of health systems in the Western Pacific, we demand a strategic, bold shift in action focused on tangible, measurable results,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Dzulkefly presented the proposal at the Ministerial Roundtable held in conjunction with the 77th WHO WPRO Regional Committee Meeting.

He said the pooled procurement pilot project must involve selected medicines with healthy supplier competition and clear shared needs, and must be implemented transparently.

To support the mechanism, Dzulkefly proposed developing an ASEAN Medicines Security Dashboard as an early warning system linking pricing information with supply distribution, stock availability, and manufacturing capacity.

He also stressed that price monitoring alone could not absolutely guarantee medicine security.

Instead, he said the region needs a strategic manufacturing alliance through joint investment initiatives to cover production gaps.

“To realise this major framework, it requires clear leadership from a lead country under the 2026-2030 Plan, complete with funding accountability and clear key performance indicators,” he said.

Domestically, he said Malaysia has institutionalised pooled procurement across government health facilities, maintained a three-month medicine buffer stock, and spearheaded the ASEAN Drug Security and Self-Reliance (ADSSR) initiative.

He added that Malaysia would continue to leverage global health diplomacy platforms to ensure uninterrupted treatment for the people. — Bernama

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马来西亚提议在世卫组织西太平洋区域开展药品联合采购项目，以应对供应链和地缘政治挑战下的药品安全问题。

卫生部长祖基菲里·艾哈迈德强调，要建立东盟药品安全仪表盘和战略制造联盟，以确保可靠的药品供应。

马来西亚实施了全国统一采购，建立了药品储备，在东盟药品安全和自力更生方面发挥了领导作用，同时积极参与全球卫生外交。

吉隆坡，10 月 21 日——马来西亚提议世界卫生组织（世卫组织）西太平洋区域办事处（WPRO）紧急试点一项针对特定药品的联合采购项目，以确保该区域的药品安全。

卫生部长拿督斯里祖基菲里·艾哈迈德表示，此举十分紧急，因为几乎整个地区都面临着供应链中断、市场不确定性以及对活性药物成分（API）进口的高度依赖等严峻挑战，而国际地缘政治冲突更是加剧了这种情况。

“如今，区域外交和团结必须超越单纯的良好意愿表达。为了保护西太平洋地区卫生系统的生存，我们要​​求采取战略性的、大胆的行动转变，重点关注切实可衡量的成果，”他昨天在脸书上发帖说。

祖基菲里在与第77届世卫组织西太平洋区域委员会会议同期举行的部长级圆桌会议上提出了该提案。

他表示，集中采购试点项目必须选择药品，确保供应商之间有良性竞争和明确的共同需求，并且必须以透明的方式实施。

为了支持这一机制，祖基菲里提议建立一个东盟药品安全仪表盘，作为将价格信息与供应分配、库存可用性和生产能力联系起来的预警系统。

他还强调，仅靠价格监控并不能绝对保证药品安全。

他表示，该地区需要通过联合投资计划建立战略制造业联盟来弥补生产缺口。

他说：“要实现这一重大框架，需要在 2026-2030 年计划下由牵头国家发挥明确的领导作用，并辅以资金问责制和明确的关键绩效指标。”

他表示，在国内，马来西亚已将政府医疗机构的集中采购制度化，维持了三个月的药品缓冲库存，并率先发起了东盟药品安全和自力更生（ADSSR）倡议。

他补充说，马来西亚将继续利用全球卫生外交平台，确保民众获得不间断的治疗。——马新社

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