Rwanda has received mobile lab equipment from the East African Community (EAC), an addition in facilitating mass testing of COVID-19 throughout the country. The new mobile lab unit will highly increase COVID-19 testing capacity hence strengthening quick response to the pandemic.
Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) said, “This lab will almost double our COVID-19 testing capacity and its mobile nature will facilitate mass testing throughout the country.”
The uniquely-fitted vans are equipped to carry out the same function as a laboratory, a great addition to increase the number of samples tested per day using the available 3 testing equipment. Sampling and testing units will be deployed nationwide to all priority districts with suspected COVID-19 cases which will as well reduce on the turnaround time since samples will not be transported to Kigali first.
The mobile laboratory is equipped with test kits and personal protective gear including gloves, gowns, masks, goggles and shoe protectors. The mobile labs will focus on sampling a range of specimens for Polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
