It is hoped the local manufacture of the kits will reduce the reliance on imports, with positive implications for access and pricing.
123RF/Jarun Ontakrai
In a statement, Nzimande said the test kits, co-developed by CapeBio and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , will help to reduce SA's reliance on imports, making it easier for the country and the rest of the continent to gain speedy access to test kits. “The more testing is done, the easier it is for a country to track the virus, identify clusters, and act accordingly.
He said CapeBio has already commenced industrial-scale manufacturing of the test kits at its Centurion facilities, and the first batches will be available for local market uptake before the end of August. At full operational capacity, the company will be able to produce up to 5,000 kits a day, with each kit providing for 1,000 tests.
“This is a significant breakthrough that confirms the importance of collaborative work between the public and private sectors to fast-track the rollout and uptake of South African technologies,” said Dr Kwezi. “The combination of the CSIR's research & development infrastructure and expertise, coupled with CapeBio's capability, contributed to the successful production of a one-step diagnostic assay which will assist in managing and monitoring the spread of Covid-19.
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