Medical group urges govt to consider repurposing MySejahtera

 

The Malaysia Medical Association has urged the government to consider repurposing the MySejahtera application.

In a statement, Malaysia Medical Association president Dr Koh Kar Chai said the application's main function used to be for contact tracing purposes.

But as Malaysia transitions towards the endemic phase of Covid-19, MySejahtera’s contact-tracing function would have outlived its usefulness.

Koh said since MySejahtera was widely adopted, it could be repurposed and preserved in case another pandemic strikes.

“The MySejahtera app can be adapted to be used as a personal health record as it is already linked to individual IDs and is non-transferable.

“There is a need for an electronic medical record system that is secure and accessible by healthcare providers so there is seamless care for the health of the people unlike now where many times we see that healthcare records are not accessible across healthcare facilities or providers.

“The MySejahtera app may be utilised as an initial effort to have a health record that can be carried by the individual to allow for access by healthcare providers as and when needed," he said.

Currently, Putrajaya is in negotiations with MYSJ Sdn Bhd on the future of the MySejahtera application.

Critics have argued that MySejahtera was a form of surveillance and its data should not be in the hands of commercial entities.

Putrajaya has not declared what MySejahtera will be used for moving forward.

Acknowledging the public concerns about ownership and security of the data, Koh said the government needs to take proactive measures to address those concerns and win over people’s trust.

“Before we can embark on using MySejahtera as a tool to be used in a national electronic medical records system, it is pertinent that the security issues surrounding the app be addressed and soon, as the trust deficit of the public here is very apparent.

“The app cannot and should not be an access to the EMR system whereby one’s full medical history from birth can be accessed though things may change in the future as the world of information technology evolves and security issues are managed.

“The MySejahtera app will be useful in allowing access to existing medical conditions and treatment history that is stored in the phone. It will allow an easy sharing of recent medical history with healthcare professionals and caregivers with the access under the control of the individual,” he said. - Mkini