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Gabon announces laboratory to accelerate covid-19 testing

Gabon will commission a new analytical laboratory as part of the fight against Covid-19. Named by President Ali Bongo Ondimba,  after Professor Daniel Gahouma, a “symbol of medical excellence” in the country, this ultramodern laboratory located in the premises of the Palais des Sports in Libreville has the capacity to carry out 10,000 Covid tests. 19 per day.

The cornerstone of the national strategy to fight Covid-19, the Pr. Daniel Gahouma laboratory will thus make it possible to multiply by 60, the country’s screening capacity since the outbreak of the pandemic. So as to reach a goal of 100,000 tests carried out in the next 30 days, raising Gabon to the rank of a performing nation in this area, with a screening rate of 5% of the population.

In practical terms, the screening strategy will revolve around forty dedicated sites spread across the country, to which patients will be referred according to their health profile or their profession in dedicated sites.

Among these dedicated sites, three university hospital centers (CHU) and two army training hospitals (HIA) will welcome health personnel, cases followed in hospital structures, and cases of comorbidity.

In addition, 11 military infirmaries will take care of samples from members of the Defense and Security Forces. While 12 hospitals and private health centers will be allocated the levies on suspected cases and the self-employed. Finally, 5 mobile units will focus on levies on agents from the public sector, the private sector and the informal sector.

In addition, the new laboratory Pr. Daniel Gahouma as well as the reception capacity deployed through the dedicated sites will make it possible to lighten the screening methods and to considerably shorten the times of transmission of the test results.

The obligation to make an appointment via the 1410 is thus eliminated, immediately saving 1 to 2 days over the duration of screening. Patients will have to go directly to the dedicated sites where they will be referred according to their health profile or their profession for the samples. From this moment, a maximum of 2 days (as opposed to 4 days initially) will be necessary for either negative patients to receive confirmation via their telephone, or positive ones to be taken care of by a doctor. Ultimately, the laboratory of Pr. Daniel Gahouma plans to offer part of its testing capacity to African countries that will show the need.