Nigeria-based healthtech startup 54gene has launched mobile Covid-19 testing labs in the country and has also raised a fund to deal with the pandemic, according to media reports.
In order to launch the mobile testing labs, 54gene has entered into partnerships with First City Monument Bank and the Ogun State government.
In a statement, the company said, “In carrying out a situational analysis, it became clear that there was a need for infrastructure to support an increase in testing capacity in Nigeria. However, setting up a permanent structure requires significant cost, manpower, and an extensive period of construction time. Speed was of the essence, as we saw the need to increase nationwide testing capabilities, isolate positive cases, and thus help flatten the curve by breaking the chain of transmission.”
“Our mobile lab removes the restriction imposed by permanent buildings and allows us to quickly offer our services to multiple states due to the ease of transport and the mobile capability it provides. This reduces turnaround times for test results and allows clinicians to manage and treat patients accurately, sooner rather than later. The environmentally-friendly cargotecture solution can also be reused to serve other functions for urban spaces,”
Recently, 54gene has raised around $15 million in its Series A funding round. The startup has also launched a fund of its own to raise money to help Nigeria deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Established in 2018, 54gene is a research company that utilises human genetic data from diverse African populations and works toward the development, availability, and efficacy of medical in the African continent.
So far, Nigeria has reported around 1700 positive cases of Covid-19 and around 50 deaths.