New equipment to speed up Rwanda’s detection of Ebola, other high-risk infections

Rwanda has strengthened its outbreak preparedness with the acquisition of four advanced BioFire diagnostic machines that are expected to significantly reduce Ebola testing turnaround time and improve rapid response to infectious disease threats. The machines, worth more than $370,000 (over Rwf540 million), cut testing time from up to six hours to within an hour, enhancing the country’s ability to quickly detect and respond to Ebola and other high-risk infections. The equipment was donated through a partnership with bioMérieux -- a global in vitro diagnostics company that develops testing solutions for healthcare, enabling rapid and accurate detection of diseases. It includes four BioFire Torch systems, testing modules and specialised test kits capable of detecting Ebola, Marburg and several other infectious diseases. ALSO READ: Rwanda ramps up Ebola prevention efforts The machines will be deployed at strategic border locations, including Gihundwe District Hospital, Rwamagana District Hospital, Gisenyi District Hospital and RBC/National Reference Laboratory (NRL), where they will enable health workers to rapidly screen suspected cases and respond more quickly to potential outbreaks. Although Rwanda has not recorded any Ebola cases, health officials say maintaining a high level of preparedness remains essential, particularly given outbreaks that have occasionally been occurring in neighbouring countries. “These four BioFire machines will help us strengthen our preparedness against Ebola,” said Dr. Isabelle Mukagatare, Head of the Department of Biomedical Services at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). “Rwanda has not recorded any Ebola cases so far. However, that does not mean we should not be prepared. If someone develops symptoms that could be related to Ebola, we should always be ready to immediately collect samples and test them.” Diana Mutoni, Deputy CEO of Rwanda Medical Supply (RMS) Ltd said the initiative represents the incredible power of public-private synergy, observing that RMS Ltd is proud to have facilitated the seamless acquisition and transition of these essential machines. “Handing them over to the Ministry of Health, through RBC/NRL is a proud moment for us, as we know this technology will directly enhance infrastructure and support the vital work being done for the public. It’s a win for efficiency, and a win for the community, she stated. Marc Haribou, bioMérieux Vice President for Africa stated that the firm continues to focus on enabling a comprehensive public health response to the current Ebola outbreak, including its BIOFIRE® Global Fever Special Pathogens Panel, which detects multiple ebolavirus species, including Bundibugyo. “bioMérieux is working with ministries of health and other organisations on the ground in Africa to distribute systems and tests across the outbreak zone to where they are needed most,” he said. “We're honoured to partner with Rwanda Medical Supply Ltd, the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and other partners to stop this outbreak and prevent future ones.” ALSO READ: Seven things to know about the latest Ebola outbreak in DR Congo Dr. Mukagatare said Rwanda already had diagnostic machines that were used during the country’s response to the Marburg virus outbreak. Marburg belongs to the same virus family as Ebola and causes a similar severe haemorrhagic fever. She said the additional machines expand the country’s testing capacity and reflect international confidence in Rwanda’s preparedness and response to outbreaks. “Our partners have seen how Rwanda responds to disease outbreaks and how responsibly we manage and use the equipment we acquire. That confidence is why they donated these four machines to strengthen our diagnostic capacity,” she said. Faster diagnosis One of the biggest advantages of the new equipment is speed. Unlike conventional laboratory testing, which requires several processing steps and can take between four and six hours before results are available, the BioFire systems can detect infectious diseases within one hour. The machines are classified as point-of-care diagnostic systems and hence can be placed close to where patients are receiving treatment rather than relying entirely on central laboratories. In simpler terms, this will allow health workers to test patients much sooner and make faster decisions on isolation, treatment, and outbreak response. “The testing method we have been using is more complicated because it requires several testing steps,” Dr. Mukagatare explained. “These new machines are much easier to use.” To ensure complete clinical safety, she noted that while the systems are highly accurate, a small number of unclear results may still require confirmation using conventional laboratory equipment. “When the result is clearly positive or clearly negative, health workers can proceed with confidence because the machines are highly sensitive,” she added. Beyond Ebola The new equipment’s broader diagnostic capability is expected to improve Rwanda’s surveillance for a wide range of infectious diseases beyond Ebola. According to Dr. Mukagatare, the systems can also identify the Marburg virus, numerous other viruses, disease-causing bacteria and other microorganisms that are difficult to detect using conventional methods—serving as a rapid alternative to standard PCR testing. The donation also includes specialised Global Fever test kits designed to detect several high-risk pathogens from a single patient sample, allowing clinicians to identify the cause of severe fever more quickly. Strengthening health security The latest donation builds on an existing partnership between Rwanda and bioMérieux to improve diagnostic services across the country. Dr. Mukagatare said seven additional automated blood culture machines acquired through the same partnership were recently installed in hospitals to help detect bloodstream infections. She expressed confidence that the collaboration would continue to strengthen Rwanda’s diagnostic capacity. “We value this partnership and expect it to continue so that together we can further improve diagnostic services in Rwanda,” she said.

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New equipment to speed up Rwanda’s detection of Ebola, other high-risk infections