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Doha – In a significant development for African healthcare manufacturing, Morocco has begun producing the continent’s first mpox (monkeypox) tests, marking a shift away from reliance on medical imports. The initiative comes as Africa faces ongoing mpox outbreaks across multiple countries.
Moroccan startup Moldiag initiated the development of mpox tests following the World Health Organization’s declaration of the virus as a global emergency in August, as reported by AP.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has documented over 59,000 mpox cases and 1,164 deaths across 20 countries this year.
The tests, priced at $5 each, are now being distributed to several African nations, including Burundi, Uganda, Congo, Senegal, and Nigeria.
“It’s rather easy to send tests from an African nation to another one rather than waiting for tests to come in from China or Europe,” said Moldiag’s founder and chief scientific officer, Abdeladim Moumen to AP.
The development emerged from Morocco’s Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research, with Moldiag previously creating genetic tests for COVID-19 and tuberculosis.
The company received distribution approval from the Africa CDC in November, though it has yet to submit documentation for WHO expedited approval.
The need for accessible testing is particularly acute in regions like eastern Congo, where many provinces lack laboratory facilities.
“This is a major problem,” said Musole Robert, medical director of the Kavumu Referral Hospital. “The main issue remains the laboratory, which is not adequately equipped.”
In South Kivu province, healthcare workers are currently limited to diagnosing mpox through temperature checks and visible symptoms, complicating efforts to track the virus’s spread.
The initiative aligns with African Union member states’ post-COVID-19 objectives to address healthcare disparities across the continent’s 1.4 billion people.
The pandemic highlighted global inequities in access to medical supplies, prompting African leaders to call for increased regional manufacturing capacity in 2022.
Morocco has previously demonstrated leadership in African medical manufacturing.
In 2021, King Mohammed VI launched a $500 million public-private partnership with Chinese firm Sinopharm to produce COVID-19 vaccines, making Morocco the first African nation to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines locally through its pharmaceutical company Sothema.
While Morocco has reported three mpox cases, the virus remains most prevalent in central Africa. Scientists have noted concerns about a new variant that may transmit more easily between individuals.
Read also: Health Minister: Morocco Capable of Producing 70% of Medication Needs
