Morocco has recently made headlines by becoming the first country in Africa to produce mpox tests, marking a significant milestone for the continent's healthcare sector.
After experiencing substantial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic with accessing testing kits, various African nations committed to reducing their dependency on imported medical supplies. This commitment has come to fruition as Moroccan biotech startup Moldiag takes the lead amid the current mpox outbreak, filling orders for these much-needed diagnostic tests.
With more than 59,000 mpox cases and 1,164 deaths reported across 20 African countries this year, the urgency for accessible testing is palpable. Moldiag initiated the development of its mpox tests following the World Health Organization (WHO) announcing the virus as a global health emergency back in August.
The outbreak has underscored the difficulties far-off regions face when trying to process samples. For example, many health facilities across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) lack the necessary lab capabilities to conduct tests onsite, making it difficult to monitor the virus's spread effectively. Dr. Musole Robert, medical director of the Kavumu Referral Hospital, explained how health workers are still resorting to basic patient assessments such as checking temperatures and observing visible symptoms instead of utilizing the more precise testing methods now available.
Mpox primarily spreads through close contact with infected individuals or their contaminated clothing or bedding, leading to visible skin lesions. Health professionals collect samples from rashes and send these to laboratories for analysis. The symptom overlap with other diseases, like chickenpox or measles, makes testing imperative for accurate diagnosis.
While several companies had initially developed rapid testing kits for mpox during outbreaks observed in Western countries back in 2022, these products were put on hold when the number of cases dropped significantly. The recent resurgence of mpox, coupled with concerns about new, potentially more transmissible variants, has prompted Moldiag and other firms to reactivate their testing initiatives.
So far, Morocco has reported three mpox cases, but the bulk of the outbreak has manifested primarily within central Africa. Abdeladim Moumen, Moldiag's founder and chief scientific officer, stated, "It’s rather easy to send tests from an African nation to another rather than waiting for tests to come from China or Europe," highlighting the benefits of local production.
Founded through the Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research, Moldiag has previously garnered experience developing genetic tests for infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and COVID-19. The company has now received approval from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to distribute its mpox tests and has begun supplying various countries including Burundi, Uganda, and the DRC, as well as Senegal and Nigeria.
The pricing of these mpox tests is another aspect contributing to their potential success; they are sold for approximately $5 each. This price aligns with the WHO's recommended standards and advocates' calls for affordable diagnostics amid growing frustrations over higher costs from other test manufacturers. The nonprofit organization Public Citizen has recently called for manufacturers, like Cepheid, well-known for approved mpox tests, to reduce their prices from about $20 to the $5 benchmark Moldiag has achieved.
The availability of mpox tests manufactured within Africa fulfills one of the main goals set by the African Union following the COVID-19 crisis. This initiative is focused on correcting historical health inequalities and inequitable access to medical resources faced by the continent’s over 1.4 billion people, who are often hit hardest by public health emergencies due to structural inequalities and lack of local production capabilities.
Abdeladim Moumen indicated the growing realization among health experts about the importance of localized manufacturing: "They want African tests for Africa." The sentiment reflects the broader push for self-sufficiency and resilience within African nations as they grapple with their health crises.
Throughout the last year, advocates for public health across the continent have increasingly emphasized the need for durable methods to curb reliance on external institutions for medical supplies and diagnostics. Building the capacity to create and distribute medical testing locally serves to fortify Africa’s health infrastructure days, especially amid recurrent health crises like mpox outbreaks.
This effort reverberates well beyond merely coping with mpox; it signifies African nations stepping forward to claim agency over their healthcare systems. The rise of Moldiag embodies hope, innovation, and progress toward self-reliance, positioning Morocco as a leader within Africa's developing technological and medical spheres.
Considerations of accessibility and speed are now more prominent than ever, with local production aspirations materializing amid the increasing urgency for effective healthcare responses. Manufacturers like Moldiag are laying the groundwork for future resilience across the continent as they strive to improve access to health diagnostics and tackle communicable diseases effectively.
Such developments not only have present significance for addressing mpox but also chart the course for how Africa can approach health crises moving forward, highlighting the importance of prioritizing localized solutions underpinned by innovation.
With the world closely observing the results of this local production initiative, Moldiag's success could serve as a model for more similar endeavors across Africa, heralding a new era of healthcare best practices and dedication to reducing import dependency.