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Solution name: Ultra Low-Cost Rapid Diagnostic Test Production
Louis Roux
Major Infectious Diseases
Process or service
Pilot
Rural
Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) are widely used as screening and confirmatory tests for major infectious diseases in developing countries. Despite RDTs popularity, their accessibility remains limited due to high manufacturing costs from expensive packaging materials that are also environmentally unfriendly and are mostly not recycled. Nearly all RDTs used in sub-Saharan Africa are imported from abroad as local manufacturers fail to produce competitively priced RDTs.
Louis Roux holds a Master of Science degree from Pretoria University and is the co-owner of Lifeassay Diagnostics Pty Ltd, a privately owned RDT manufacturing company. Lifeassay is committed to manufacturing point-of-care test kits locally, using African developed technology and expertise. The solution is a new and innovative process whereby RDTs can be manufactured at significantly reduced cost without any negative impact on RDT performance or stability. Through the incorporation of new materials and manufacturing techniques, raw material savings of up to 45% can be achieved, allowing for more RDT procurement and healthcare benefit. The plug-and-play manufacturing process allows for rapid scale up of production volumes and can be rolled out in any African country. This solution offers African-based manufacturers the opportunity to produce these tests themselves in a sustainable, competitive and environmentally friendly way.