Resource shortage hampers Covid-19 testing effort - Health DG

 

Covid-19 | Malaysia is testing under its maximum RT-PCR capacity due to human resource and reagent issues, said Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today.

Nevertheless, the ministry plans to not only maximise that capacity but double it to 150,000 tests per day.

Presently, the 68 publicly funded and private RT-PCR laboratories nationwide are capable of conducting 76,255 tests per day.

Yesterday (Jan 20), they conducted 47,820 tests. This means the laboratories operated at 63 percent of their total maximum capacity.

When asked why Malaysia was not testing at maximum capacity, Noor Hisham pointed to insufficient human resources and reagents.

"In certain laboratories, we think we still can increase the capacity. We need to look into human resources and we have to look into reagents," he said.

Reagents are ingredients used in the making of test kits.

“Not just at the ministry but also (laboratories in) universities; the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti), and the army to see how we can maximise the usage of facilities at the moment,” he said.

Elaborating, the top health official said the ministry plans to raise the maximum RT-PCR testing capacity at existing laboratories to 100,000 tests per day.

Next, it wants to set up “new laboratories” at existing hospitals to further increase testing capacity to 150,000 tests per day.

This expansion, he said, will require more human resources and coordination.

“When we look into all the 68 laboratories including in the private sector, we think their capacity can be increased to 100,000 tests.

“Nonetheless, we are also looking into new laboratories... at hospitals in Sarawak or in other states. We need to look into their capacity and increase the number of laboratories.

“Our aim is 150,000 tests a day. This is where we need to train more people but, for now, we need to maximise the capacity in the private and public sector by working together as one,” he explained. - Mkini