PUTRAJAYA - Local Government Development Minister, Nga Kor Ming suggested that medicine kiosks be placed in every area of the People's Housing Program (PPR).
According to him, he was inspired by the building of Malaysia’s Health Ministry (MOH) which has its own medicine kiosk.
"Now there is a medicine kiosk at the Health Ministry, we are thinking of the possibility of cooperation where similar kiosks could be placed in the PPR area.
"When children get sick in the middle of the night, there is no need to go to the pharmacy because there is a medicine kiosk.
"Just like we buy snacks, this vendor machine can sell medicines such as Panadol, vitamins and others," he said in a press conference here on Tuesday.
He said this after witnessing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strategic Cooperation in Health and Firefighting between KPKT and MOH here on Tuesday.
Also present was Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa; KPKT Secretary General, Datuk M Noor Azman Taib; Deputy Secretary General of the Finance Division, Datuk Seri Norazman Ayob; Director General of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Datuk Seri Abdul Wahab Mat Yasin and Deputy Director General of Health (Public Health Division), Datuk Dr Norhayati Rusli.
Meanwhile, Kor Ming also informed that the collaboration of KPKT through JBPM and MOH is expected to save the government's allocation by RM15 million per year.
He added that it aims to improve cooperation for the transfer of patients and medical teams in hospitals or health facilities throughout the country, especially in Peninsular Malaysia.
"The collaboration between the two ministries is strategic in disaster management, holistic use of resources, sharing of expertise and knowledge and efficient management of financial allocations.
"The use of helicopters in Emergency Medical Air Ambulance Rescue Services (EMARS) can speed up the transfer of patients and medical-related transport, as well as increase efforts to save lives," he said.