By Lim Guan Eng
HEALTH Ministry Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has confirmed to Malaysiakini, that screening tests will no longer be conducted on every individual identified as close contacts to COVID-19 positive patients, and instead only test those who show symptoms.
In the case of contact tracing involving an infection cluster, only a number of samples would be taken, and not every close contact tested like before.
The Health Ministry circular states that it would suffice to take 20 samples if the number of exposed individuals in the cluster is less than 50.
Exceeding that, then it would suffice to take 30 samples, or 10%, whichever is lower. This “relaxation” of the previous full screening tests involving all asymptomatic close contacts, is the result of our healthcare system unable to cope with the surge in the number of COVID-19 patients.
This raises the ugly issue of Cabinet Ministers’ incompetency and their poor state of readiness in providing full support to our front liners in their life and death battle against COVID-19.
Sufficient resources, whether in terms of manpower and equipment, should have already been made available to then to implement the 3Ts of testing, tracing and treatment, which is most effective in containing the spread of COVID-19.
What happened to the RM17 bil COVID-19 Fund approved by the Budget 2021 that caused the Health Ministry to abandon full and comprehensive implementation of 3Ts?
Without 3Ts, more Malaysians will get infected with COVID-19 and more lives will unnecessarily be lost. Will the Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers please wake up?
This question could have been pursued in Parliament but following the questionable suspension of Parliament by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, we may not know the answer.
That is why the suspension must be revoked and Parliament convened immediately, to end such incompetency and inefficiencies and instead provide the much needed resources and support to our front-liners.
The dangers of not conducting a full screening tests on all close contacts and asymptomatic individuals is very real, because asymptomatic patients can become symptomatic later and spread the virus.
Scientists in the United States have discovered that transmission from asymptomatic individuals was estimated to account for 59% of all COVID-19 transmissions.
This can be seen in the Penang General Hospital with an increasing number of elderly COVID-19 patients, infected by their younger family members some who were asymptomatic.
Again, what is the point of passing RM17 bil for the COVID-19 Fund in Budget 2021 last year if it is not fully mobilised and utilised?
Malaysians want answers what happened to this fund and how much has it been utilised. – Jan 16, 2021
Lim Guan Eng is the Bagan MP and former Minister of Finance for Malaysia
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
