Page 152 - MALAYSIA HEALTH SECTOR RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FIELD

Public Health Laboratory in Kota Kinabalu had been upgraded to cater and
process up to 2,000 tests daily . A molecular laboratory was established in
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Queen Elizabeth Hospital I, Kota Kinabalu, to increase its testing capacity .
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Besides, MOH Malaysia had also engaged with the local public university,
Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and private laboratories to amplify the total daily
COVID-19 testing capacity in Sabah. As of 29th November 2020, the total
daily COVID-19 testing capacity in Sabah's laboratories had now increased
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to 2,750 tests per day .
A back-up strategy had been devised keeping in mind the possibility of the
A back-up strategy had been devised keeping in mind the possibility of the
RT-PCR COVID-19 testing in Sabah reaching its maximum capacity, which
RT-PCR COVID-19 testing in Sabah reaching its maximum capacity, which
was 2,750 tests daily. For localities in Sabah that were within the proximity
was 2,750 tests daily. For localities in Sabah that were within the proximity
of an airport, the samples were also transported to IMR or National Public
of an airport, the samples were also transported to IMR or National Public
Health Laboratory Sungai Buloh in Peninsular Malaysia as alternatives to
Health Laboratory Sungai Buloh in Peninsular Malaysia as alternatives to
deal with the backlogs during the peak of the third wave . This outsourcing
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deal with the backlogs during the peak of the third wave . This outsourcing
approach was also adopted temporarily when reagent availability was low
approach was also adopted temporarily when reagent availability was low
while waiting for supplies to arrive. Assistance by the Royal Armed Forces
while waiting for supplies to arrive. Assistance by the Royal Malaysian Air
and the Civil Defense in supporting the logistics for COVID-19 samples'
Force and the Civil Defense in supporting the logistics for COVID-19 samples’
transportation was much appreciated. This was on top of their enormous
transportation was much appreciated. This was on top of their enormous
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assistance in ensuring the healthcare service was delivered for the people .
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assistance in ensuring the healthcare service was delivered for the people .

Increasing laboratory capacity of RTK- Ag testing in Sabah
MOH Malaysia had also allowed the usage of the RTK-Ag as a means of
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COVID-19 screening in Sabah . The advantage of using the RTK-Ag is its ease
of use and its ability to accelerate the detection of COVID-19 outbreaks
swiftly in large numbers with high accuracy, particularly useful when Sabah
became the epicentre of the pandemic during the third wave. In September
2020, there were 23 laboratories in MOH hospitals and 26 laboratories in
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health clinics that could process the RTK-Ag in Sabah . Since the beginning
of May 2020, a total of 23,900 RTK-Ag kits had been distributed to Sabah,
with an additional 15,000 RTK-Ag kits being distributed on 17th September
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2020 to hasten the detection of COVID-19 positive cases. As the number of
cases in Sabah increased in October 2020, necessitating more RTK-Ag
testing, an additional 15,000 RTK-Ag kits were delivered to Sabah using the
assistance of the Royal Malaysian Air Force on 6th October 2020, followed
by another 75,000 kits on 15th October and finally another 25,000 at the
end of October 2020 . This has allowed the COVID-19 testing capacity in
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116 LABORATORY RESPONSES TO THE THIRD COVID-19 WAVE IN MALAYSIA