KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be among the first countries to try out a possible cure for Covid-19 infection.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said WHO contacted the ministry to participate in the global-level research.
“We were chosen to carry out research on a new medicine known as ‘Remdesivir’ to be used for treatment in Covid-19 patients.
“The discussion of the matter will be done tonight with WHO and other participating countries,” he said.
Noor Hisham said Malaysia was chosen as it fulfilled all the criteria such as having a good medical system, well trained local researchers as well as having a suitable platform to conduct the tests.
The research will take place at Sungai Buloh Hospital and other hospitals identified as "Covid-19 hospitals". It will start once the medicine is made available to them.
Asked if Remdesivir could cure the illness, Noor Hisham said the research will be done to test out the effectiveness of the medicine.
He said the medicine will be given to patients and their conditions will be monitored for any side effects and also the effectiveness.
“The drug has been identified by WHO. Whether the drug is scientifically effective or not, we should first conduct the research,” he said.
Remdesivir is a novel antiviral drug used as a treatment for Ebola and Marburg virus infections.
On another matter, Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry has tested a rapid antigen kit made by a Chinese company and found the results to be "inaccurate".
“The Institute of Medical Research has deemed the test as 'unsuitable' (for use).
“There is also a report from Spain that despite purchasing 3,400 of the antigen test kits, they did not use them because the accuracy level is only at 30 to 40 per cent.
“We have to make sure that the sensitivity level is high so that we can track the disease.” he said.