Dr Christina
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Health Department hopes to achieve its target of carrying out between 1,000 and 2,000 tests for Covid-19 daily.
However, the department’s director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi said that this can only be achieved if there is a continuous supply of reagents.
She added that the department, through its laboratory in Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and in Bukit Padang, is carrying out between 700 and 800 tests per day.
She said that the lab at QEH is producing over 100 tests and that if it is running at the optimal level, it may be able to carry out 200 tests daily.
Dr Christina told this to reporter at Terminal Two of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport to witness the arrival of medical supplies transported by the Royal Malaysia Air Force from Subang.
Reporters were made aware that among the supplies that arrived were reagents and consumables for laboratories.
She said that with the new supply, they can start operating at the laboratory at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
“Some of the reagents here will be used to help set up (the UMS laboratory),” she said.
Dr Christina also explained that they are experiencing a backlog of about 3,000 due to the shortage of reagents.
“This will help us with the backlog,” she said.
The latest supply of 450 kilograms of reagent is expected to last about a week or so, she said.
“The need is expected to increase,” she said.
She also explained that the department has decided to carry out its test for Covid-19 at laboratories instead of depending on the Rapid Test kits from China and Korea.
Also present during the event were Sabah State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong, Sabah Civil Service director Datuk Rosmadi Datu Sulai and former Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum.