NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 15 — The fight against Malaria in the country has received a major boost after the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) rolled out a rapid diagnostic test kit that will ensure qualitative pathogen detection of malaria causing parasites.
The PlasmoChek kit contains a cassette, a buffer, an applicator stick and a pricker and has 100 per cent sensitivity and specificity.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman said that the kit is a milestone for the country pointing out that it will cut the cost of importing the product from other countries, which has been the standard in the past.
The Health CAS noted that Malaria is a big killer in the country especially for children and pregnant women saying the country spends a lot of resources acquiring the products from other countries.
According to Aman the product will go for Sh60 a kit making it cheaper compared to the current market price of about Sh300 per kit for similar products.
“You can see in terms of reduction of price, KEMRI stands a great advantage in penetrating the market very quickly. We have said as a government we will support our local institutions that has developed these products and we will give priority to procurement of the products such as this one,” Aman said.
During the event, KEMRI also launched a COVID-19 PCR kit christened the KEMCOV-19 kit that will be used in the detection and characterization of the virus.
Aman added that despite the significant reduction of the COVID-19 across the globe, the PCR tests will continue to be a requirement for travellers.
He pointed out that a COVID-19 test will cost Sh1,500 down from a range of Sh8,000 to 12,000 in private facilities.
“If you want to travel, most countries require a PCR test. There is still a great deal of room for this product and am sure that KEMRI will be working with keeping up with the evolution of the pandemic itself and the virus inn terms of upgrading and developing better and finer products as we move on,” he added.
The test kits have already been approved for use by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board according to KEMRI.
The two kits were unveiled during the 12th KEMRI Annual Scientific and Health Conference (KASH) conference in Nairobi on Tuesday which brought together participants from within and outside the country.
The Health CAS called on research institutions including KEMRI to collaborate with other stakeholders including education institutions to improve the country’s research capacity.
