Effective Thursday, December 17, private clinics are testing patients for the coronavirus using antigen rapid tests in accordance with the instructions given by the Ministry of Health. This is in a bid to make Covid-19 testing services accessible to more citizens, according to Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). The RBC published a list of 42 private clinics countrywide that are accredited to start testing patients using antigen rapid tests. Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the Director-General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), on Thursday told The New Times that a single test will go for Rwf10,000. Uru ni urutonde rwamavuriro yigenga yemewe ashobora gukora ibizamini bya #COVID19 hifashishijwe Antigen Rapid Test. Uru rutonde warusanga no ku rubuga rwa @RBCRwanda unyuze aha: https://t.co/meN3NxGpX5 https://t.co/oQlnkhc7H8 pic.twitter.com/GUnWDztrzF — Rwanda Biomedical Centre (@RBCRwanda) December 17, 2020 Asked whether a negative result from the rapid test would then guarantee that one can still board a flight, Dr. Nsanzimana explained that the rapid test is not for travelers by plane. Shedding more light on the development, Julien Niyingabira, the Head of Rwanda Health Communication Centre, noted that accuracy for this type of test is above 90 percent. For symptomatic persons, tests are more precise than in asymptomatic persons, Niyingabira said. The Government of Rwanda purchased the tests, according to the officials. The cost will be Rwf10,000 per test. So far they are not in any insurance scheme. They cant be used for people planning to travel outside of the country, Niyigabira said.
