KUCHING: A medical expert has highlighted the significant benefits of the MySejahtera app, emphasising its role in enhancing user access to healthcare information and streamlining the reporting process during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Associate Professor Dr Helmy Hazmi of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s (Unimas) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences lauded the utilisation of the MySejahtera, saying it offers significant benefits to both healthcare workers and clients.
He said the app’s real-time data analysis aids healthcare workers in swift decision-making, and its subtle approach encourages positive health behaviours.
“For us as clients or app users, MySejahtera enhances our access to the healthcare system. It serves as a reliable source of information, keeping us updated on the latest infectious diseases in our locality.
“The app allows us to monitor our own health status, including details like blood groups and more. Particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, it enabled users to report their health status and receive a Home Surveillance Order (HSO) if they tested positive.
“This feature not only saved time but also improved the efficiency of our healthcare system,” he said.
For healthcare workers, he said the real-time analysis of user-entered data allows for swift presentation of crucial information.
He noted that the MySejahtera app serves as a tool for encouraging positive health behaviours without resorting to mandatory directives.
“The app offers a subtle way to encourage people to adopt necessary health behaviours without the need for mandatory directives, which often carry negative connotations.
“In this way, MySejahtera nudges users towards positive health behaviours that healthcare workers recommend,” he asserted.
While acknowledging its contributions, Dr Helmy stressed the need for ongoing development and political support to fully realise the app’s potential in the fight against the pandemic.
“While it is not yet perfect, the potential for further development is vast. We just need a proper structure and political will to allow the app to bloom into the powerful tool that the healthcare workers imagined it to be,” he added.
Overall, Dr Helmy stressed that it’s important to recognise that MySejahtera helped in some ways during the peak of Covid-19, aiding in contact tracing and data monitoring.
In response to the recent announcement by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad of current strategies for managing and controlling the spread of Covid-19, Dr. Helmy said the primary goal of the TRIIS strategy (Test, Report, Isolate, Inform, Seek) is the early detection of Covid-19 rather than monitoring virus variants.
This approach, he said, enables individuals to make informed decisions about their health and the health of others, guided by healthcare professionals.
“Early detection is crucial as it leads to prompt treatment and self-isolation, effectively curbing the spread of the virus.
“This proactive approach not only halts the immediate spread but also plays a vital role in preventing the rapid emergence of new variants.
“When treatment is delayed and the virus spreads unchecked, it gains more opportunities to mutate and evolve into new variants,” he added.
However, he said challenges persist in the implementation of the TRIIS strategy, particularly in communities where there is a noticeable reluctance to undergo testing.
“This hesitancy poses a significant obstacle to the effectiveness of the TRIIS strategy,” he said.
