'Why not use migrant worker mass screening system for Malaysians?'

 

Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran has questioned why the system the government used to do Covid-19 mass testing on migrant workers has not been utilised on Malaysians.

“When the government did foreign worker testing, they had thousands of clinics sign up as panel clinics. If this courtesy is extended to all Malaysians, then Malaysians can go to any of these panel clinics.

“I think it’s good where we are utilising general practitioners to do foreign worker testing. The question is how come the government cannot use the same panel clinics to allow Malaysians to get tested?

“Then I don’t have to do these testing venues,” Rajiv said in an online press conference today.

Rajiv was referring to the government’s initiative last December for a mass screening programme for migrant workers, where the Social Security Organisation (Socso) would supply the rapid test kits antigen (RTK-AG) while employers would have to foot the bill for the clinics’ services.

The Bukit Gasing representative had also launched his own initiative in November last year, where he negotiated with local doctors and the test kit suppliers to provide RM70 RTK-AG testing to the people.

As the daily Covid-19 cases spiked towards the end of last year, Rajiv said the clinics had become overwhelmed and the programme had to be halted temporarily at the beginning of January 2021.

He brought the programme back for a five-day trial run shortly after at a larger venue that is the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Multipurpose Hall in Jalan 51A/227.

Now that the trial run ended on Jan 22, Rajiv announced today that he is extending and expanding his affordable Covid-19 testing initiative, by opening up a new testing location with extended hours.

“We are announcing that the trial went very well. We managed to test nearly 200 people on average every day. It was very smooth, the tests were done quickly, the lines were not too long, there were hardly any complaints from anyone.

“We are now ready to launch this on an ongoing basis starting this coming Monday. We are also expanding to two teams, one at the MBPJ Multipurpose Hall and the second testing venue will be at the Pusat Rakan Muda Kompleks Arena Petaling Jaya,” he said.

The MBPJ Multipurpose Hall will offer testing from 1pm to 5pm daily, except for public holidays, whereas the Pusat Rakan Muda Kompleks Arena will open from 10am to 7pm daily, except for public holidays.

Rajiv assured that the price will remain at RM70 and that it is open to any individual, regardless of state or nationality.

No appointments are needed, he said, as those interested merely need to show up and wait in line to get tested.

Test results will be available within two hours and can be picked up from the testing locations or sent via email, he said.

Rajiv said the five-day trial run at the MBPJ Multipurpose Hall had been successful, as they managed to test a total of 988 people and found 28 positive cases during that period of time.

Due to the more spacious location at the hall as well as the presence of the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), Rajiv said the crowd were very orderly and complied with social distancing throughout the entire process.

“Anyone who would have come in the last five days would see there was no chaos,” he said.

When asked if he would consider opening more testing locations, he said he has no problems doing so, if there is a need.

However, he said he hoped he would not have to do so, as it should be the government’s duty to ramp up testing among Malaysians.

Currently, the Health Ministry prioritises testing using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, which is considered the gold standard in Covid-19 testing worldwide due to its high sensitivity rates.

However, the RT-PCR test results take a few days to be ready, whereas the RTK-AG test results can be ready within a few hours.

Rajiv said the Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had acknowledged there are manpower and time management issues when it comes to RT-PCR testing.

“Health experts have been calling for a ramp-up in testing with triaged, mass and frequent testing regiment, utilising RTK-AG instead of PCR to help to reduce the Covid-19 transmission.

“Mass testing using RTK-AG helped manage the outbreak in Sabah and among the foreign workers because it was made mandatory.

“So why not ramp up RTK-AG testing first and foremost for everyone?” Rajiv questioned. - Mkini