KENYA’S Ministry of Health and private sector partners on Tuesday
launched a state-of-the-art laboratory to enhance screening of the HIV virus amid quest to eliminate
the killer disease by 2030.

Rashid Aman, chief administrative secretary in the ministry of health, said the launch of the advanced
HIV testing equipment, through a partnership with Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche, will boost
management of the HIV and AIDS pandemic that affects an estimated 1.5 million Kenyans.

“We are engaging the private sector to boost delivery of quality healthcare services, and the launch
of the HIV diagnostic laboratory will help screen viral load on the infected and inform the best
treatment options,” Aman said in Nairobi.

The new HIV diagnostic laboratory, called Cobas 8800, will be installed at Kenya Medical Research
institute (KEMRI).

Aman said Kenya aims to achieve a 100 per cent HIV testing target in the near future through investments
in modern diagnostic equipment.

“Accurate and efficient HIV testing will boost management of opportunistic infections linked to the virus,”
he said.

“The Cobas 8800 that we are launching today marks a new milestone in the fight against HIV and AIDS
and co-related infectious diseases like hepatitis B and C.”

Kenya, South Africa and Uganda are the only African countries where Roche has launched the state-of-the-art
HIV diagnostic laboratory.

Roche CEO Severin Schwan said the launch of an upgraded HIV testing facility through a public-private
partnership will boost Kenya’s war against infectious diseases.

“We are committed to be part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s healthcare agenda through investments in
infrastructure that can aid diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases like HIV and AIDS and
hepatitis,” Schwan said.

He said the new HIV diagnostic laboratory will be able to test an estimated one million people a year.(Xinhua/NAN)

– Aug. 14, 2018 @ 15:29 GMT |