ALOR SETAR, May 2 (Bernama) -- The Kedah Consumers Association (CAKE) has welcomed the government’s Medicine Price Transparency Mechanism (MKHU) but says more decisive action is needed to ensure affordable access to healthcare, particularly for low-income groups.
CAKE president Mohamad Yusrizal Yusoff said that while the MKHU requires clinics, hospitals and pharmacies to display the prices of medicines, it does not regulate them.
“Transparency is a good first step, but it is not sufficient. Many patients still cannot afford treatment or medication, especially those from lower-income backgrounds,” he said in a statement today.
He warned that the absence of price controls allows for profiteering by irresponsible parties and risks pushing vulnerable patients toward unproven traditional treatments, which could worsen their health outcomes.
“Some are forced to borrow money just to buy basic medication,” he added.
In addition to medications, Mohamad Yusrizal also called on the government to regulate consultation and treatment fee pricing.
He further urged that all essential medications be free of charge at government hospitals for low-income groups to ease their financial burden and reduce healthcare inequality.
-- BERNAMA
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