The National University of Science and Technology (Nust) is set to start producing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits for the country in response to Covid-19 that has killed over 1 500 Zimbabweans.
Zimbabwe is importing the conclusive diagnostic test kit that determines if one is infected by analysing a sample for genetic material from the virus.
A Covid-19 PCR test costs about US$60 in private health institutions, a development which made the test a luxury for a few.
Once Nust starts producing the kit, members of the public will pay about US$20 for a PCR test, while Government will reduce its import bill.
The innovation at the Bulawayo institution of higher learning will also help the country detect the different strains of Covid-19.
Besides Covid-19, the local production of PCR test kits will help Zimbabwe handle some diseases like HIV whose prevalence in the country is one of the highest in the world at 12,3 percent.
A PCR test can also be used to detect viral load and can be used in animals to ascertain various diseases and viruses.
The country has conducted 558 451 Covid-19 tests since the global pandemic was first detected in Zimbabwe on March 21 in 2020.
Of the tests, 359 663 were PCR tests and the rest were antigen and rapid diagnostic tests (RDT).
In an interview yesterday, the director of the Applied Genetic Testing Centre, Mr Zephaniah Dlamini, said through assistance from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Nust will be acquiring a DNA synthesizer machine which will be used to produce the kits.
Nust will produce about 50 000 PCR kits weekly and currently the country conducts about 15 000 Covid-19 weekly.
“The applied DNA testing lab was asked by Government to assist in the testing of Covid-19 up to about November last year and we were doing the first wave of the virus. During that time we were testing people from the southern region which includes Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces,” said Mr Dlamini.
He said during that time about 40 000 Covid-19 samples were processed at the university’s lab situated at Mpilo Central Hospital.
“In total during that time, we tested close to 40 000 people and we were using kits which are imported mainly from China and we were using our equipment at the Mpilo National TB Reference lab as it has a safety facility that enables one to work with Covid-19 safely,” he said.
-State Media