KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — The private sector must augment the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme to achieve herd immunity and reduce the government’s burden in fighting the crippling pandemic, according to a healthcare organiser.
This is because Malaysia’s 32 million populace and the high number of foreign workers here have to live with the infectious disease in the long-term, Datuk Dr. Emmanuel Benson, Group Chief Executive Officer of EB Holdings Sdn Bhd, told Bernama today.
He said EB Holdings, as a healthcare organiser which aims to transform the healthcare eco-system, stands ready to complement government measures in the screening, testing, tracking and vaccination rollout nationwide.
“When you test, trace and isolate the disease in both citizens as well as foreign workers, it will enable Malaysia to move from a pandemic to an endemic stage.”
To this end, he said EB Holdings has pioneered in developing for the market its own “Trek4Me technology system” to enable and empower the effective and efficient rollout of a COVID-19 test and vaccination management and monitoring initiative.
Inculcating artificial intelligene, Trek4Me is primarily a web and mobile-based technology platform. It would enable a systematic method of registering, testing, vaccinating, managing, tracking and monitoring in the most effective manner possible to mitigate COVID-19 transmissions.
In the process, it would help promote holistic healthcare management for individuals and corporations and in the future complement and reduce the burden on the government which is now spearheading the fight against the pandemic.
This is crucial as Malaysia prepares to enter the endemic phase which entails reopening more economic and social sectors with new COVID-19 norms practiced by the people.
“Testing, tracing and isolating the disease is crucial to enable Malaysia to move from the pandemic stage to an endemic stage,” he said.
He stressed that ramping up testing was vital in view of new variants such as Delta, South African, Lambada and MU being detected globally.
“Vaccination does not guarantee immunity but prevents severe symptoms, hence the need for booster shots, much like flu shots dispensed during winter in western countries.
“We have to live with COVID-19 and mitigate against the transmission of the virus,” he said.
To go nationwide, he said EB Holdings would bank on its experience as the healthcare organiser for the distribution of vaccines and mass screening in Perak in interior areas as well as in Sabah and Sarawak.
The company teamed up with Duopharma Biotech Bhd in distributing the Sinopharm vaccine in Perak through Majuperak Holdings Bhd’s SilverVax vaccination programme as well as in in Johor where it teamed up with J Biotech.
He lamented that despite thousands of people being tested positive, many cases go undetected, deaths have soared and not everyone is vaccinated and some states like Sarawak showing sharp spikes in cases.
Dr Emmanuel said EB Holdings would also help vaccinate foreign workers in Malaysia by working with Fomema, the agency which manages the health and medical screening programme for foreign workers employed in Malaysia.
“Testing is going to be part and parcel of our lives and it is time for a strategic solution to complement government efforts,” he said.
He pointed out that EB Holdings’ COVID-19 testing operations were structured and systematic, adhering to SOPs, traced and monitored, with fast results and reporting.
As such, checking levels of immunity, offering telemedicine services, using analytics to track and mitigate the type of things that cause a pandemic are essential features of the system.
“Ultimately, we must bring the services to the public and industries more efficiently,” he said
