Medication safety has become a major issue as medication errors in healthcare setting especially in government institution. Medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional, patient or consumer. Inappropriate use of medications can also increase the cost of health care and exposes patients unnecessarily to the adverse effects of medicine.

This Drug Formulary serves as guidance to doctors and pharmacists in promoting a more effective and safer medications use. So, I hope all patients will benefit from this comprehensive and dynamic drug list in PKD Pontian.

I hope that this Drug Formulary will not only serve to improve the standards of medication prescribing in the PKD but also as an educational reference for new doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare provider.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the pharmacy department for their time and continuing effort undertake in updating this Drug Formulary for the benefit of all practising doctors and pharmacist in PKD Pontian.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) Drug Formulary contains a list of drugs approved for use in all hospitals or institution under the ministry. The formulary is to promote the rationale, cost-effective use of drugs whereby newer and more effective drugs were introduced in a controlled manner so as to minimize wastage. The use of the formulary promotes optimial utilisation of fund to purchase drugs.

New drugs and formulations listed in the Drug Formulary of the Health Ministry, it is appropriate and timely that guidance is provided to assist doctors in PKD Pontian in selecting drugs and formulations available in this PKD. A Review and update of this Drug Formulary will be done periodically to keep up with the changes in the availability of drugs, treatment guidelines and feedback from Family Medicine Specialist of PKD Pontian.

For this formulary to be a success, it must be acceptable in our institution and used wisely among staff. We welcome feedback from all staff to improve the quality of this formulary.

This formulary depends heavily on contribution from the pharmacy unit of PKD Pontian, who generously spend their time and effort to collate a brief but important document, for the benefit of this PKD Pontian. I congratulate them for their efforts.