Roche, ASLM move to prevent next pandemic in Africa

Roche Diagnostics has partnered with African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) to prevent and control the next pandemic in Africa.Briefing journalists on the health conference holding in Abuja, Roche Diagnostics Acting Interim General Manager and Head of Management Centre South Africa, Duncan Mackay said that the partnership with ASLM was ideal as the conference is an important step in building and advancing healthcare systems on the Continent taking into consideration the Africa Union (AU) Agenda 2063 where the African Union adopted Vision 2063 as a roadmap for continental development.

“This is very much aligned with our commitment to support the improvement of the health care system in Africa. We will continue to partner with organisations that have associated objectives with us in improving the healthcare of our people in Africa,” he added.

According to him, Roche Diagnostics believes in collaborative efforts to achieve universal health coverage and is currently working with Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) for HIV, hepatitis and cancer across Africa; United States President’s Emergency Preparedness Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Global Fund for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) across Africa, cervical cancer screening in Partnership with the Society for Gynaecology and Obstetricians of Nigeria (SOGON) in Nigeria. Over the past three years it has also developed Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) with United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for “Good Laboratory Practice” training Programme in Africa, which strengthens quality.

Mackay noted that ASLM plays an important role in advancing and strengthening laboratory services in Africa and in line with this, adding that Roche Diagnostics will be showcasing its achievements in tackling hepatitis B and C in Nigeria as well as new solutions in the HIV space. He observed that the purpose of the conference is to provide information on the laboratory medicine landscape and needs in Africa as well as increase awareness of opportunities to invest in laboratory medicine amongst private, public and philanthropic donors.

Also speaking, Roche Diagnostics Country Head for Nigeria, Taofik Oloruko-Oba, said: “Our solutions have direct positive impact on health and lives of millions of people across the world for example the Taraba State Project Zero Hepatitis campaign. The prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Nigeria is 11 per cent, which implies that there are almost 19 million Nigerians infected with Hepatitis B (HBV). Therefore our solutions for screening, diagnosis, treatment and treatment monitoring are required for everyone who is infected. The National guidelines for HBV management recommend screening for all relevant people.”