THE rising price of antiviral medication for Influenza A is forcing some patients to forgo treatment, with families choosing to quarantine at home and endure symptoms rather than pay for expensive drugs.
Siti Nur Surhayani Jefri, 42, a private-sector employee from George Town, Penang, shared that her household recently contracted Influenza A, but only her husband received full treatment due to the cost.
“Our eldest son came back from boarding school with a fever, then three days later, the rest of us – my husband and our three younger children aged six to 11 – fell ill with similar symptoms,” she said.
A visit to a private clinic confirmed the diagnosis, but the bill came as a shock.
“The total cost including medication was RM350 per person. It would have cost us about RM2,000 to treat the whole family. In the end, only my husband took the medication,” she said.
She explained the decision was made based on practicality.
“My husband works as a technician and needs to travel for work, so it was important that he recovered quickly. The rest of us could afford to rest and isolate at home,” she added.
While acknowledging the effectiveness of the antiviral – which helped her husband recover within two days – Siti Nur Surhayani admitted the experience has made her reconsider vaccination in the future.
“I’m now seriously thinking of getting us vaccinated. It’s too costly to fall sick like this,” she said.
Another parent, Nornisra Ismail, 42, said her third child had just completed a five-day quarantine following an Influenza A infection.
“The consultation and medication cost us RM305, which we were lucky to cover through insurance. Otherwise, it would have been financially burdensome,” she said.
Both parents highlighted the difficult choices many families face amid a growing outbreak.
The financial strain comes as Penang records a sharp rise in Influenza A clusters.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said 36 clusters had been reported in the state so far this year, with a dramatic spike in recent weeks.
“From Epidemiological Week (EW) 1 to EW39, there were nine clusters. In EW40 alone (28 September to 4 October), 10 new clusters emerged, and in the following week (5 to 11 October), we recorded another 17 clusters,” he told reporters.
According to state health department data, the situation underscores an urgent need for both prevention and affordability in managing seasonal illnesses. – October 14, 2025