SINGAPORE – The stock situation for some common medications used to treat fever, cough and cold, which were in short supply towards the end of last year, has improved as demand has moderated, said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary.
Due to a higher incidence of viral infections, there were temporary localised shortages of specific brands of medicines used to treat fever, cough and cold towards the end of 2022, he told Parliament on Tuesday. But overall, Singapore’s medical supplies, including oximeters and oxygenators, have been adequate to meet demand in the past year.
As Covid-19 becomes endemic and people treat it like other illnesses, there will also be fewer chances of panic-buying taking place, he said in response to a question from Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC).
Dr Janil added that the routine use of mucolytics and expectorants is not necessary for most people, who have healthy lungs and baseline good health, when dealing with an illness such as Covid-19.
“There is no necessity to purchase branded medication. A variety of generic preparations will do the job just as well,” he said.
The demand for common medications for fever, cough and cold had risen significantly in late 2022 as many people opted to self-medicate, with some over-the-counter (OTC) medications for these conditions reported to be in short supply.
The Covid-19 wave in China also sent people scrambling to buy such medicines, leading to drug shortages.
Dr Janil explained that retailers, in general, keep close track of their supplies of OTC medicines and medical supplies, and bring in more stock or alternative brands when there is a surge in demand.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) monitors the stock levels of commonly used medicines and medical supplies, especially when there are exceptional surges in demand or disruptions to supply. If necessary, it will work with the retailers to procure additional stocks to meet the demand, or issue relevant advisories, he said.
In addition, the ministry maintains stockpiles of key medicines and medical supplies prioritised for the higher-acuity patients in public healthcare institutions.
In extreme situations where there may be global shortages, MOH will take additional measures such as imposing sales limits to prevent hoarding, and ensure that the medicines and medical supplies are fairly distributed, he added.
Replying to Workers’ Party MP He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC), he said that short-term medicine supply issues here are largely managed through the vendors’ stockpiles and “a variety of data and ICT (information and communications technology) tools”.
