The East African Community under the Mobile Laboratory Project on Wednesday deployed nine mobile laboratories and Coronavirus test kits to all EAC Partner States in a bid to detect and respond to highly infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and Ebola.
Speaking to the media while flagging off the mobile laboratories and equipment, EAC Secretary General, Amb Liberat Mfumukeko said that each Partner State would receive a four-wheel drive vehicle fitted with laboratory and ICT equipment, as well as all the necessary consumables for a fully functional laboratory with the capacity to conduct tests for Ebola and the Coronavirus in addition to other pathogens.
“A total of 9 Mobile Laboratories are being deployed to the Partner States as follows: Republic of Burundi -1, Republic of Rwanda -1, Republic of South Sudan -1, Republic of Kenya – 2, Republic of Uganda – 2 and United Republic of Tanzania – 2,” said the Secretary General.
The EAC Secretariat has also provided COVID-19 test kits, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including gloves, gown, mask, goggles, and shoe protectors, and other consumables to the Partner States.
Mfumukeko disclosed in a statement that the Mobile Laboratories had been equipped with modern equipment and could diagnose most pathogens in addition to providing safe, accurate and timely patient results for COVID-19, Ebola and other disease-causing pathogens..
He added that the EAC Secretariat has trained a total of 18 Laboratory Experts from the Partner States who are skilled trainers and certified proficient operators/ users on the operation of the Mobile Laboratories.
As at 15th April, all Partner States had confirmed cases of coronavirus with Kenya reporting 225 cases with 9 deaths, Rwanda 134, Uganda 55, Tanzania 53 with 3 deaths, Burundi 5 and one death and South Sudan 4 cases.
JK/Dng/APA