A Moroccan company, Moldiag, is filling orders, or mpox tests across Africa, marking a significant step towards the continent’s self-sufficiency in medical supplies, The Associated Press reports.
This comes after African nations faced severe shortages of testing kits during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting a critical need for localized production of essential medical resources.
Moldiag began developing its mpox tests in August, following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of mpox as a global health emergency. Africa has experienced a significant mpox outbreak this year, with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reporting over 59,000 cases and 1,164 deaths in 20 countries.
The WHO has launched a program to provide mpox tests, vaccines, and treatments to vulnerable populations in low-income countries, acknowledging past criticisms about its slow response to vaccine distribution. However, testing remains a major challenge in many parts of Africa due to limited laboratory capacity and geographical barriers. In some regions, like South Kivu province in eastern Congo, doctors still rely on basic symptom assessment for diagnosis due to a lack of testing kits.
This lack of readily available testing hinders efforts to track and contain the virus, which primarily spreads through close contact with infected individuals or contaminated materials. While rapid tests exist, many companies that developed them during the initial Western mpox outbreaks in 2022 ceased production due to the virus’s containment. The recent resurgence of the virus in Africa, and concerns over a potentially more transmissible variant, necessitates a renewed focus on readily accessible testing.
Moldiag’s tests, priced at $5 each, offer an affordable solution to the shortages. The company has already shipped tests to Burundi, Uganda, Congo, Senegal, and Nigeria. Moldiag founder and chief scientific officer Abdeladim Moumen emphasized the logistical advantages of intra-African distribution compared to relying on imports from China or Europe.
Moldiag, established through Morocco’s Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research, previously developed COVID-19 and tuberculosis tests. The company received approval from the Africa CDC in November but hasn’t yet sought WHO approval, which can be a lengthy process. The Africa CDC accelerated its approval process to address the urgent need for testing, highlighting the historical challenges in ensuring timely access to essential medical supplies during health crises in Africa.
Moldiag’s affordable pricing aligns with WHO guidelines and the demands of health advocates who have criticized the high cost of other mpox tests. The company is now working on developing rapid tests that do not require laboratory processing. The establishment of local mpox test production addresses a key objective set by African Union member states following the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to reduce the continent’s reliance on imported medical supplies and improve access to essential healthcare resources during future health emergencies.
