Subsidy sought for RM15,000 a month cancer medicine
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KOTA KINABALU Feb 4, 2012: A 57-year-old woman has complained about the exorbitant price of cancer medicine provided by the government hospital in Likas and urged the government to provide subsidy for patients who cannot afford it.
Ooi Saw Loon said she has to fork out RM15,000 a month to buy her cancer medicine, Novartis Afinitor 10mg everolimus, from Likas Women and Children’s Hospital.
Ooi has been suffering from kidney cancer since 2001 and had one of her kidneys removed at a private hospital in Peninsular Malaysia. The operation cost her RM12,000.
UM Specialist Centre where Ooi used to seek treatment is also selling the cancer medicine at the same price.
As she has no health insurance, the cost has been borne by her and her family.
Ooi had in December last year travelled from Ipoh to Sabah to live with her son Chew Wei Keat and daughter-in-law Vevian Chin.
The cancer has spread to other parts of her body, including her lungs, liver and backbone.
She told a media conference at Democratic Action Party (DAP) office in Bundusan yesterday that so far she has paid RM30,000 for the cancer medicine.
She said not everyone could afford to pay RM15,000 a month for the medicine even though the supplier is now making a buy-one and get-one-free offer.
“I’ve heard a lot about cancer patients who passed away as they couldn’t afford the cancer medicine,” she said.
It is learnt that patients paid an officer at the hospital who will then purchase the cancer medicine from the supplier for them.
Ooi has to take the medicine non-stop for a year or her condition will worsen or suffer from side effects.
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OMG this is not good, we need to do something. The medicine is to help the patients, just because they didn't afford, many of the cancer patients passed away.
BalasPadamIts all about the money! Could medicine be subsidized?
BalasPadamPerhaps the medical system needs to be reform in order to lighten the burden of the people
PadamSubsidi ubat harus diberi kepada mereka yang layak. mungkin permohanan perlu melalaui hospital. subsidi ubat perlu diwujukan.
Padamya.. mgkin ia pelru ada bagi membantu pesakit dalam menampung kos perubatan mereka.
Padammungkin kerajaan perlu pertimbangkan untuk memberikan subsidi ubat kepada para pesakit yang kurang berkemampuan. mungkin lebih baik kurangkan subsidi gula, dan alihkan kepada peruntukan untuk subsidi ubat.
PadamIt is learnt that patients paid an officer at the hospital who will then purchase the cancer medicine from the supplier for them.
BalasPadam-This is sad. The the health ministry as well as other health institution needs to ensure there is enough medical supplies so that there will be no "middleman" as being highlighted from the excerp above
Agree with Dorian, these officers should not take advantages of the patients to earn side income.
Padam"middleman" = ambil kesempatan dalam kesempitan.
Padamrupanya ada juga mereka yang menjadi 'middleman' dan ambil kesempatan dalam perkara2 seperti ini.
PadamPihak berkenaan perlu mengambil perhatian mengenai perkara ini.
BalasPadamkos perubatan kini sgt tinggi, bukan semua mampu menampungnya.
BalasPadamIndeed it is not cheap for those patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer and the like. Hopefully the government would be able to help those in need to lessen their burdens for receiving treatment.
BalasPadamWhy keep on suppressing the patients??
BalasPadamIni perlu difikirkan sebaiknya. Subsidi ini perlu dikaji untuk memastikan dapat dimanfaatkan dengan baik.
BalasPadamsaya rasa lebih baik kerajaan utamakan institusi kesihatan di negara ini dalam pemberian subsidi.. berbanding dengan barang makanan atau barang bukan makanan yang diberikan subsidi oleh kerajaan, ubat2an itu lebih penting kerana ia boleh mengundang kematian sekiranya pesakit tidak berkemampuan untuk membayar kosnya..
BalasPadam