KUALA LUMPUR JULY 27: A consortium consisting of three ministries involving Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and Ministry of Higher Education has been formed to increase the capacity of genome sequencing.
Minister of Health (MOH) Datuk Seri Dr. Adham Baba said, the consortium has involved several institutions and universities that have received RM3 million to implement the genome SARS-CoV-2 involving 3,000 samples within three months.
He said, until 26th July, 2021, 1,668 genome sequencing had been conducted by the Medical Research Institute and several agencies involving 0.17 per cent from all the positive cases.
From the total, Dr. Adham said, Variant of Concern (VOC) SARS-CoV-2 came up to 409 cases and cases involving VOC are increasing since May 2021. This development is at par with the situation in other countries where VOC such as Delta Variant has high infectivity rate.
Dr. Adham said, Malaysia is amongst the first country using the RTK-Ag SARS-CoV-2 to detect COVID-19 at the health facility and on the fields. The RTK-Ag SARS-CoV-2 that had been implemented totalling 8,325.083 (government agencies: 2,589,655 and private agencies 5,735,428).
“To manage the COVID-19 more systematically, COVID-19 Management Guidelines has been released by MOH on 17th January 2020 and it involves clinical management, laboratory tests, control and preventing infections, activities at the International Entrance Door, management activities of contact case on the fields and the implementation of vaccinations.
“The Guidelines had been updated for six times and the latest amendment was on 23rd July 2021 based on the latest development of COVID-19 in and outside the country to remain relevant,” he said in his speech at the Special Meeting on Emergency Proclamation, Emergency Ordinance and National Recovery Plan held at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Dr. Adham added, to control the COVID-19 transmission in the country, any individual with symptoms should go for COVID-19 screen test. Individual detected with positive COVID-19 should contact the District Health Office or go directly to the nearest COVID-19 Assessment Centre (CAC).
“Currently, MOH has implemented the Virtual CAC for Greater Klang Valley involving areas in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan,” he said.
Dr. Adham highlighted on the sufficient supply of vaccination doses in order to achieve the herd immunity by the end of 2021. To date 79.9 million doses of vaccine had been ordered by KKM from several COVID-19 producers and manufacturers involving RM3.9 billion.
The Health Minister emphasized that for a continuous commitment in controlling the COVID-19 transmission, the government has allocated RM7.13 billion that is RM6.13 billion for the year 2021 for MOH to implement its roles effectively.
“From RM7.13 billion about RM2.35 billion has been allocated for screening tests and treatment of COVID-19 patients while RM4.78 billion for purchasing COVID-19 vaccines and consumables and equipments for vaccine storage,” Dr. Adham added.
Dr. Adham also mentioned that MOH has appointed 1,519 additional contract health workers based on the central agency’s approval to be placed at the health facility in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur Hospital.-Malaysia World News
