KUCHING: Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has given his assurance that tests for Covid-19 will not be affected in the event that the testing machine at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) breaks down.

He said there are other Covid-19 screening centres in Kuching to back up the testing of suspected cases.

“In Kuching, there are other machines (for testing). That’s why we spread out the capacity so that tests can be done at other screening centres and not only at SGH,” he told a press conference after attending the daily State Disaster Management Committee meeting, here yesterday.

He was asked to comment on rumours that a Covid-19 test machine had broken down, resulting in all Covid-19 tests taken earlier to be invalid.

“I just heard of this (rumour) but like any other machines, they can break down,” he said.

Dr Sim said if a Covid-19 test machine had broken down, it was up to pathologists to determine whether they needed to repeat the tests.

“It’s very unfortunate but sometimes, it’s just like our car. If that can break down, so can the machine.

“But don’t panic because we have enough capacity at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) screening centre and other areas which can carry out the tests.”

To a question on whether SGH would want to participate in a clinical Covid-19 trial much like what University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) is embarking on with Sungai Buloh Hospital, Kuala Lumpur Hospital and Tuanku Jaafar Hospital, Seremban, Dr Sim believed SGH would definitely want to be part of the study.

“There are always clinical trials going on and SGH has clinical research centres. They (SGH) will be more than happy to participate in the clinical trials,” he said.

UMMC is collaborating with the three public hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia to evaluate the Tocilizumab drug for the treatment of severe cases of Covid-19.