On Monday, WHO said that it looking to provide 120 million rapid tests for Covid-19 Kit to poorer countries at $5 each if it can find the money.
The WHO said the $600 million scheme would enable low- and middle-income countries to close the dramatic gap in testing for the new coronavirus, which has now killed more than a million people since first being recorded in China in December.
The quick tests, to be distributed across 133 countries over the next six months, are not as reliable as the regular PCR nasal swab tests but are far faster, cheaper and easier to carry out.
“We have an agreement, we have seed funding and now we need the full amount of funds to buy these tests,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference.
Last week, the WHO issued the first emergency-use listing for a quality, antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT), with others expected to follow.
Tedros said: “A substantial proportion of these rapid tests — 120 million — will be made available to low- and middle-income countries. These tests provide reliable results in approximately 15 to 30 minutes, rather than hours or days, at a lower price, with less sophisticated equipment.”
“This will enable the expansion of testing, particularly in hard-to-reach areas that do not have lab facilities or enough trained health workers to carry out PCR tests.”
Global Fund executive director Peter Sands said the RDTs were no silver bullet but were a hugely valuable complement to PCR tests.
Sands said: “Although they are a bit less accurate, they’re much faster, cheaper and don’t require a lab. This will enable low- and middle-income countries to begin to close the dramatic gap in testing.”
Sands, said that currently, high-income countries were conducting 292 tests per day per 100,000 people; upper-middle-income countries 77; lower-middle-income countries, 61; and low-income countries, 14.
The tests could be used where PCR tests are unavailable; quickly testing contacts where a PCR test has confirmed a case; and in places with widespread community transmission.
Sands said the first orders were going in this week.
