Sunday, 22 Aug 2021
WITH the heightened interest in oximeters, some irresponsible sellers have duped consumers into buying fake devices.
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) tells Sunday Star that it has received over 15 complaints about fake oximeters since last month.
“In one case, a consumer used an oximeter on a pencil and it ‘detected’ oxygen levels.
“I found this to be ridiculous and unscrupulous on the part of the seller,” says Fomca deputy secretary-general Nur Asyikin Aminuddin.
She says such dubious devices are usually very cheap, costing around RM20.
“Most complainants bought the devices through social media or online marketplaces.
“We asked these consumers to lodge reports with the authorities like the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for action to be taken against the errant sellers,” Nur Asyikin says.
As the demand for Covid-19 home self-test kits is high, she urges the government to bring down the prices of such products – they currently cost between RM30 and RM40 per set.
“As people are losing jobs and struggling to make ends meet, the government must help consumers in this small but important way.
“It is becoming a necessity now for every home to have such kits so that they can do regular self-checks,” she says, adding that the public could curb the spread of Covid-19 by doing self-tests, especially parents have to who go out and have young children at home.
She points out that the demand for items like self-test kits, thermometers and oximeters is high because of the spike in sporadic cases.
“This means we don’t necessarily have to be a close contact of a positive patient to get infected.
“Anyone can be infected now,” Nur Asyikin says.
Due to the high demand, she says greedy sellers tend take advantage of the situation as they know consumers are desperate to get these items.
She urges Malaysians to buy only oximeters that are certified by the Medical Device Authority (MDA).
“Consumers can check the name of the product, or brand name and registration number through the MDA’s website at bit.ly/check_gadget.
“If you are buying an oximeter online, consumers can still ask for those details from the seller to check whether the product is registered or not,” Nur Asyikin advises.
Given the high number of Covid-19 cases, some Malaysians have decided that it would be useful to have such equipment handy.
Marketing manager Sheryl Ong, 36, says her grandmother was supposed to stay at her house temporarily while her relatives were being treated for Covid-19.
Ong wanted to equip her home with an oximeter, a thermometer and self-test kits to prepare for her grandmother’s stay as a precaution.
However, the plan was cancelled after her grandmother also tested positive for the coronavirus.
“But even after her stay was cancelled, I went ahead to buy these items anyway just in case I needed them,” she says.
Another reason is because she wanted to avoid getting “Happy Hypoxia” – a situation where a Covid-19 patient would have low levels of oxygen, but does not experience breathing difficulties.
Ong initially had a tough time buying her oximeter as many pharmacies had run out of stock.
She believes others should buy such items too.
“One can never be too sure if they have been exposed to the virus or not,” Ong says.
A company director who wishes to be known only as Chan, 40, bought an oximeter last month after considering a suggestion to monitor her oxygen levels.
“I use it about once a day. There is some level of assurance since I have it at home. At the very least, it gives me an indication if I need to take any action,” she says.
Chan adds that she has been regularly taking Vitamin C capsules to boost her immunity and will continue to do so even after being fully vaccinated.
After being encouraged by family members to buy it, a Petaling Jaya resident who wants to be known only as Jamie, 39, purchased an oximeter online.
“Just in case anyone at home experiences symptoms of Covid-19, this could be a quick way to validate the need to take a proper swab test.
“Also, in the unfortunate event that anyone tests positive, it’s one way to monitor the actual severity of the condition,” says Jamie, who works in the advertising industry.
She is also considering buying self-test kits to keep at home for emergencies.
“Having these items readily available makes me feel more secure in case of any incidents,” she adds.
