MOH urged to reinstate import license for family planning associations in Sarawak

The Sarawak government is requesting the federal government to allow local family planning associations in the state to import contraceptive commodities.

State Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Local Government and Housing, Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the federal Health Ministry (MOH) had revoked the licence granted to these associations to import contraceptives in 2021.

"I will bring this up to the Minister of Health (Dr Zaliha Mustafa) to restore the licence to import contraceptives)," he told reporters after witnessing the handing over ceremony of two ultrasound machines donated by the Japanese Government to the Sarawak Family Planning Association (SFPA) here today.

The donation was handed over by the Japanese Embassy, Head of the Consulate in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Kako Shiho.

Dr Sim said the restoration of the import licences would enable Sarawakians to get contraceptives at cheaper prices.

Meanwhile, SFPA medical chairman Dr Philip Kho said prior to the revocation of the licence, prices of contraception in Sarawak had been affordable following a grant provided by International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).

"For over 50 years, the Federation Of Reproductive Health Associations of Malaysia (FRHAM) had managed to get an import licence to enable its member associations to supply contraceptives to their clients at an affordable price," he said.

Following the revocation of the import licence two years ago, FHRAM through the assistance of Dr Sim managed to extend the validity of the import permit by another year.

He said FHRAM had sent an application to MOH Pharmacy Service Division on June 22 this year to import contraceptives for this year, but that had yet to be approved.

"If the import licence is not approved, the IPPF commodities would be channelled to other member associations globally and not Malaysia," he said, adding that SFPA represented the most number of contraceptive acceptors under FRHAM.-- BERNAMA