Patients with a chronic condition are being encouraged to take advantage of the Ministry of Health's (MOH) value added services (VAS) for receiving medication during the movement control order (MCO) period.

Health Director-General, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said patients can receive their supply by post (UMP) or via the pharmacy drive-thru, Locker4U or call/SMS-and-grab methods.

He promoted the post approach as the prescription drugs will be delivered directly to the home without having to visit a hospital or clinic.

"To lighten the burden of patients, from April 6 to June 30, the cost of medication delivered by post, estimated to be RM638,000, will be borne by the MOH.

"The patient's adherence with -- and preventing interruption to -- the medication regimen is important, including practising social distancing, during the MCO," he said in his Facebook page today.

He said normally the patient would pay Pos Malaysia between RM5.30 and RM10.60 in cash upon delivery depending on weight and zone of destination.

"The kinds of drugs supplied through UMP include tablets and capsules, while for liquids and medicine with special storage instructions like insulin, patients should use the other VAS options," he said.

For more information, get in touch with the pharmacy at the MOH facility where treatment was received to register for a VAS or call the National Pharmacy Call Centre (NPCC) at 1800-88-6722 (from 8am - 5pm, Monday - Friday, except public holidays) with enquiries.

--BERNAMA