I READ with interest the recent statement of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi that Covid-19 self-test kits will be made available at supermarkets, convenience stores, and petrol stations. This may seem to be a practical move with the intent to provide convenience by making the kits easily accessible. While I understand that the low price and easy access would seem to benefit consumers, we cannot afford to be taking such a matter too lightly without considering the potential negative repercussions. In these trying times of Covid-19, the availability of self-test kits should of course be welcomed, however, we cannot simply opt for ‘convenience’ at the expense of safety or quality.

What I mean by this is presently self-test kits are made available at pharmacies which are already available in every township, suburb, and residential area. When we purchase self-test kits from pharmacies, we can be assured that these self-test kits are approved and certified by the Malaysian Device Authority and the Health Ministry. But allowing the kits to be sold at various other outlets will open the way to the sale of counterfeits or kits that have not been approved by the authorities.

When the pandemic first broke out last year, the demand for masks shot up drastically - everyone was selling them. Some of these masks do not meet the required medical standard and do not fulfil their purpose of protection against the virus. There were even reports of cases where masks were produced by using recycled masks! By analogy, if self-test kits are made available easily at multiple outlets, issues of counterfeit or unapproved kits may also arise. Even now we hear cases of available self-test kits online which seem to give inaccurate results.

As long as the Covid-19 still exists, this may lead to the possibility of a black market with no proper quality control. We know how creative and how resourceful Malaysians can be and we do not want something as important as these self-test kits to be the subject matter of such scams, putting people at risk with a false sense of security.

As a father of two, I am more confident if I were to buy the self-test kits from a pharmacist or a proper healthcare provider, knowing that the self-test kits would have been verified and approved by the Malaysian Device Authority and the Health Ministry.

At the moment Covid-19 self-test kits are available at pharmacies. I truly believe this should be maintained. Recently I even read that countries such as the UK and India imposed that self-test kits are only available at pharmacies and certified bodies. The way I see it the Government needs to set its priorities straight; the safety of the Rakyat above everything else.

I also wonder why the announcement to expand the sale of self-test kits to supermarkets, convenience stores, and petrol stations were made by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry instead of the Health Ministry of Malaysia. Shouldn’t the matter of healthcare be under the lattr? Especially when the Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced last month that pharmacies are the best place to buy Covid-19 self-test kits. The contradictory statements show a lack of communication and understanding between the regulatory bodies that may create problems and put the public at risk. – November 4, 2021.

Adam Malek reads The Malaysian Insight. 
 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.