Moroccan Startup Moldiag Produces mPox Testing Kits

The Moroccan startup Moldiag has announced that the first African #mPox testing kit is now available on the market. It is a first for Africa since the testing kit is designed and made in Africa.

It is to be recalled that during the #COVID pandemic, Africa struggled to procure medical materials such as vaccines, protective gear and testing kits. Thus, Africa vowed to enhance its #HealthSovereignty and promote local manufacturing of medical supplies.

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox as a ‘global emergency’. In August 2024, the Africa Center for Disease Control (ACDC) reported more than 59,000 cases of mPox and 1,164 deaths in 20 countries.

As per protocol, the WHO announced that it will make available mPox testing kits, vaccines and treatments to the most vulnerable people in the world.

However, in the case of Congo, the mPox outbreak often occurred in remote areas with no medical labs for testing. Doctors can only carry out diagnosis by using body thermometers and by looking for other apparent symptoms.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of mPox are similar to chicken pox and measles with rash and skin lesions. Mpox is primarily spread through physical contact and the health worker has to wear protective gear. Typically, the medical worker takes a swab of the rash which is then despatched to a laboratory to confirm the disease.

Most African countries did not have access to rapid test kits. The rudimentary diagnostic method thus makes it challenging to identify mPox and control the spread of the disease.

Now, Moldiag has come up with a testing kits which does not require sending the samples to the laboratory. Priced at USD 5 per unit, the Moldiag mpox testing kit is relatively affordable.

As a comparison, the mPox testing kit from Cepheid retails at USD 20. The Moldiag product made in Africa thus enhances #HealthEquity by making the test more accessible given the convenience it brings.