SEGAMBUT MP Hannah Yeoh has outlined two crucial points for the COVID-19 RTK antigen self-test kits to work in Malaysia.
As the Federal government prepares the nation for a shift from a pandemic to an endemic season, more needs to be done apart from focusing on vaccination rate, she said in a statement.
By transitioning to an endemic state, the new normal of daily lifestyle requires the public to consciously monitor their health by exercising regular self-testing.
“This week I visited five morning markets located in the Segambut constituency and distributed RTK test kits to the traders,” the former deputy women, family and community development minister pointed out.
She explained that many traders at the morning markets had looked at the test kits with a perplexed expression and she had to explain to them how the test kits work.
To resolve the matter, Yeoh proposed that the price of the COVID-19 RTK antigen self-test kits be reduced further from the current price of RM19.90.
“The lack of knowledge in regard to the RTK test kits was apparent, and this prominent conundrum is attributed to the fact that the use of the test kits is still irregular among the people,” she remarked.
“This is mainly due to the high selling price of RTK test kits in the market despite being capped at RM19.90 per kit by the Health Ministry.
“RM19.90 can buy a struggling family two trays of eggs that can feed them for days.
“In Parliament, we are being tested twice a week for effective monitoring of the COVID-19 situation, and this is about RM40 per Member of Parliament (MP).
“How many families can afford to spend RM40 a week for one family member alone? As such, increasing affordability and accessibility of RTK test kits are of utmost importance.
“Bring down the price to ensure the struggling families do not need to decide between buying a meal or doing a self-test.”
Yeoh went on to add that the Government must also mobilise their multimedia resources, including national television, billboards and SMS service by the National Security Council (MKN) to display the correct use of the RTK test kits.
“Solely relying on instruction manuals that come with the test kits would not be sufficient, particularly among senior citizens who are not able to access or read the manuals for a variety of reasons,” she explained.
“Videos with specific instructions in multiple languages need to also be shown to the public.” – Oct 1, 2021.
Pic credit: Malay Mail
