Roche Deploys Ebola Testing Equipment to DRC

The equipment, comprising LightCycler and Magna Pure instruments, is currently destined for Bunia. Before the technology becomes operational, local laboratory technicians will undergo intensive training to handle the validation process. This initiative follows the company’s June development of a Research Use Only PCR test specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain.

Johan Descombes, General Manager for Francophone West Africa, noted that the deployment is a direct response to the strain on local infrastructure. Once the INSP completes the validation phase, the company plans to ship additional tests and instruments to further bolster the response. The World Health Organization continues to classify the situation as a public health emergency of international concern, citing an urgent need for improved case detection and surveillance.