Call for Covid-19 test lab in Tawau
TAWAU: Apas assemblyman Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan has urged the state government through the Sabah Ministry of Health and People’s Well-being and the Ministry of Health Malaysia to expand the Public Health Laboratory especially in the wake of the Covid-19 disaster.
He said Sabah currently had only one Public Health Laboratory (MKA) in Kota Kinabalu and was still unable to accommodate the high number of Covid-19 virus infections throughout the state.
“In Malaysia there are only 12 hospitals with MKAs including the state of Sabah. Tawau has been classified in the Red Zone (hazard) with a total of 60 cases since March 29.
“The Malaysian Ministry of Health (MoH) has also labelled Tawau as the Red Zone (dangerous) of the Covid-19 outbreak,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
Nizam also requested that the Covid-19 sample test be expedited as there is still a long wait to find out the results.
“I understand that every sample was sent to MKA in Kota Kinabalu and this is taking a long time, and heavy funding, and it is worrying that those undergoing the screening test are still going out and running from the centre to return home and if they are positive Covid-19 , then of course this is very dangerous.”
“I read a statement by the new Sabah health director about the lack of test materials and reagents in Sabah which has led to many tests of existing Covid-19 cases being delayed ... so imagine this problem is getting worse as everyday there may be new cases.”
He urged the Ministry of Health of Malaysia and Sabah to set up a health laboratory for the Covid19 test in Tawau immediately or to appoint a private laboratory as an ‘outsources’ step to solve the problem of delays of the Covid-19 sample test results.
Emphasizing that the establishment of this test laboratory in Tawau would certainly speed up the Covid19 test process, it could include samples for testing from Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and around the East Coast of Sabah, reducing the burden of MKA Kota Kinabalu and would provide an accurate picture of the outbreak situation of Covid-19.
He said the Covid-19 outbreak is difficult to predict when it will come to an end but we have to be prepared for the worse.
“If we have to go to the Covid19 suspect’s house to get samples but we have no laboratory that could process it in a timely manner, this will not guarantee our success in controlling the outbreak situation more effectively.
“I sincerely hope that the ministry responsible will take serious attention to have a Covid19 test laboratory in Tawau.
“I am very concerned about the calamity that has plagued our country and I sincerely hope we can cooperate with the government’s directive by simply sitting at home and practicing social distancing should we go out to buy necessities or work.
“We need to be responsible citizens and obey the Movement Control Order to break the Covid-19 chain,” he said.