The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forward
The dramatic increase in suspected COVID-19 cases in Africa has placed an enormous burden on public and private clinical facilities. To date, the most commonly used method for identifying and confirming the virus is the laboratory-based reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test....
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-09-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220305257 |
| _version_ | 1818352337623711744 |
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| author | Abdul-Aziz Seidu John Elvis Hagan, Jr. Edward Kwabena Ameyaw Bright Opoku Ahinkorah Thomas Schack |
| author_facet | Abdul-Aziz Seidu John Elvis Hagan, Jr. Edward Kwabena Ameyaw Bright Opoku Ahinkorah Thomas Schack |
| author_sort | Abdul-Aziz Seidu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The dramatic increase in suspected COVID-19 cases in Africa has placed an enormous burden on public and private clinical facilities. To date, the most commonly used method for identifying and confirming the virus is the laboratory-based reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. Unfortunately, testing capacities have been limited in many parts of Africa because of inadequate test kits, which have restricted scaling up beyond the few public health laboratories at designated locations. In this mini-review, we present Africa's preparedness and readiness for testing, why testing is crucial, the need to immediately strengthen existing facilities, and what it involves as part of combined approaches for managing the COVID-19 crisis. The review highlights the urgent need for speedy expansion and distribution of several laboratory testing platforms, including real-time PCR and serological assays to both public health facilities and fully accredited private clinical laboratories. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T18:52:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b9c0117516c48cabcd53fe27b7a1d1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1201-9712 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T18:52:02Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b9c0117516c48cabcd53fe27b7a1d1e2022-12-21T23:34:55ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97122020-09-0198237240The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forwardAbdul-Aziz Seidu0John Elvis Hagan, Jr.1Edward Kwabena Ameyaw2Bright Opoku Ahinkorah3Thomas Schack4Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Corresponding author at: Department of Population and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, The University of Cape Coast, PMB University Private Mail Bag, Cape Coast, Ghana.Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Neurocognition and Action-Biomechanics-Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sport Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, GermanyThe Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research [ACPPHR], Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, AustraliaThe Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research [ACPPHR], Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, AustraliaNeurocognition and Action-Biomechanics-Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sport Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, GermanyThe dramatic increase in suspected COVID-19 cases in Africa has placed an enormous burden on public and private clinical facilities. To date, the most commonly used method for identifying and confirming the virus is the laboratory-based reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. Unfortunately, testing capacities have been limited in many parts of Africa because of inadequate test kits, which have restricted scaling up beyond the few public health laboratories at designated locations. In this mini-review, we present Africa's preparedness and readiness for testing, why testing is crucial, the need to immediately strengthen existing facilities, and what it involves as part of combined approaches for managing the COVID-19 crisis. The review highlights the urgent need for speedy expansion and distribution of several laboratory testing platforms, including real-time PCR and serological assays to both public health facilities and fully accredited private clinical laboratories.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220305257RT-PCRSerologicalSARS-CoV-2LaboratoryTest kitsAfrica |
| spellingShingle | Abdul-Aziz Seidu John Elvis Hagan, Jr. Edward Kwabena Ameyaw Bright Opoku Ahinkorah Thomas Schack The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forward International Journal of Infectious Diseases RT-PCR Serological SARS-CoV-2 Laboratory Test kits Africa |
| title | The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forward |
| title_full | The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forward |
| title_fullStr | The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forward |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forward |
| title_short | The role of testing in the fight against COVID-19: Current happenings in Africa and the way forward |
| title_sort | role of testing in the fight against covid 19 current happenings in africa and the way forward |
| topic | RT-PCR Serological SARS-CoV-2 Laboratory Test kits Africa |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220305257 |
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