(From left) Lee, Dr Maurice, Dr Raviwharmman and Choo giving their thumbs up to the new BSC Class 2 (right) during the visit to Tudan Health Clinic yesterday. – Photo by Jacqueline Raphael
MIRI : The Miri and Tudan Health Clinics can now process antigen rapid test kits (RTK-Ag) for Covid-19 after they each received a Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) Type 2 worth RNM35,000 today.
Miri Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Lee Kim Shin said with the BSC, which was donated by Samling group of Companies, the clinic’s laboratories have also been upgraded.
“These two health clinics are very old and the lab facilities are under Class 1 category. But with the new biological safety cabinets in place, they are now upgraded to Class 2, which means they can now process antigen rapid test kits,” he said after visiting Tudan Health Clinic.
He said the BSC was an important component in performing the RTK-Ag tests, pointing out that the Health Ministry was equipping its new clinics with the facility.
“Once the BSC Type 2 is installed, both these clinics (Miri and Tudan clinics) will be able to perform and utilize the Rapid Test Kit Antigens and boost the Miri Division’s capacity to screen cases for Covid-19 and any other cases that requires the use of this facility,” said Lee, thanking Samling for the donation.
In May, the Health Ministry approved the use of RTK-Ag from South Korea to help boost Malaysia’s capacity in detecting Covid-19.
The RTK-Ag uses swab technique which require fully trained healthcare personnel using full Protective Equipment (PPE) during the sample collection procedure.
Once the swab sample is collected, the RTK Antigen test should be conducted in the Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) Type 2 as there is a high risk of spilling the specimen during the test kit usage procedure.
Also present during the visit were Samling general manager Choo Song Liew, officer in-charge of Tudan Health Clinic, family medicine specialist Dr Maurice Steve Utap and Acting Miri Health Officer Dr P Raviwharmman.