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The World Health Organization announced Monday that it and its key partners agreed to roll out 120 million rapid diagnostic tests for coronavirus to help low- and middle-income countries regain ground in a testing gap with richer countries. , even if the plan is not yet fully funded.
The program requires $ 600 million to cover the antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests, which cost $ 5 each and for which the WHO issued an emergency use list last week. The launch will begin next month.
The WHO announcement came as COVID-19 deaths passed the 1 million mark worldwide. There have been 33.4 million known cases of the disease, according to data compiled by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Rapid diagnostic tests look for antigens or proteins that are on the surface of the virus. These tests are generally considered less accurate, although much faster, than higher grade genetic tests, known as PCR tests. Those require processing with specialized laboratory equipment and chemicals, and typically take several days to deliver results.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the new rapid testing program as “good news” in the fight against COVID-19.
“These tests provide reliable results in approximately 15 to 30 minutes, rather than hours or days, at a lower price, with less sophisticated equipment,” he said. “This will allow for the expansion of testing, particularly in hard-to-reach areas that do not have laboratory facilities or enough trained health workers to perform PCR testing.”
He added that the effort has “seed funding”, but “now we need the full amount of funds to purchase these tests.”
Dr. Catharina Boehme, executive director of the nonprofit Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, said the rollout would initially take place in 20 African countries and would depend on support from groups like the Clinton Health Access Initiative. She said the diagnostic tests would be provided by SD Biosensor and Abbott Laboratories.
Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund, which works to end epidemics, said the organization would make an initial $ 50 million available from its COVID-19 response fund. He said the rollout of rapid COVID-19 tests would be a “significant step” to help contain and combat the disease.
“They are not a silver bullet, but they are very valuable as a complement to PCR tests, because although they are less accurate, they are much faster, cheaper and do not require a laboratory,” he said.
Many rich countries have also faced problems implementing accurate tests, and the tests themselves are not a panacea. Countries like France and the United States have faced delays and setbacks at times, and rapid tests in Britain and Spain turned out to be inaccurate.
But the rollout of testing in poorer countries is aimed at helping healthcare workers better monitor where the coronavirus is circulating, in hopes of monitoring with containment and other measures to stop it.
Sands said high-income countries are currently testing 292 tests per day per 100,000 people, while lower-income countries are testing 14 per 100,000 people.
He said the 120 million tests would represent a “massive increase” in testing, but they were still a fraction of what is needed in those countries.
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