NCDC targets 1,300 COVID-19 tests daily with modified TB machines

The Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) has released a new testing strategy for COVID-19 which includes modifying GeneXpert instruments to be used to test samples for the disease.

The NCDC said the machines being used in various states “as first line testing for tuberculosis diagnosis” will be adopted with specially designed cartridges as recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

In the new strategy published on Friday, the agency said it is targeting an additional 1,300 tests daily through this approach.

The GeneXpert machines, manufactured by the US-based firm Cepheid, is one of the most widely-used TB diagnostic tools globally.

In March, Cepheid received the FDA emergency use authorisation for its new “Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2” diagnostic that can be processed on the GeneXpert platform.

TheCable understands that Nigeria currently has at least 400 GeneXpert instruments deployed in 399 health facilities across the country meant for TB diagnosis.

With the challenge of limited kits for COVID-19 testing in the country, the NCDC said some of these machines in each state will be repurposed for COVID-19 testing.

The agency said: “As part of this strategy therefore and given that every state of the Federation including the FCT has at least 5 GeneXpert sites, at least one GeneXpert site in each state will be repurposed for COVID-19 testing, to decentralise testing to all states.

“Each of the GeneXpert instruments in-country has 4-testing modules with testing capacity of about 24 samples per day. There are also available in-country two mobile laboratories equipped with 2 GeneXpert instruments each. These will be deployed as needed to support COVID-19 testing surge in target states.”

The NCDC said the planned decentralised testing will enable states’ samples of at most 24 daily to get results the same day, while bulk samples will be referred to the national/regional laboratories.

“This will increase the country’s testing capacity by additional 1,300 tests per day,” it added.