A global partnership plans to make 120 million rapid COVID-19 antigen tests available to low- and middle-income countries over six months, at a maximum price of US$5 per test. The agreements were made by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with manufacturers Abbott and SD Biosensor.
The tests are designed for use near patients and provide results in 15 to 30 minutes. Their portability and ease of use could support testing in settings without extensive laboratory facilities or trained staff for PCR testing. The World Health Organization is assessing several rapid antigen tests for Emergency Use Listing.
The Global Fund has set aside an initial US$50 million through its COVID-19 Response Mechanism to help countries purchase at least 10 million tests at the guaranteed price. The first orders were expected to be placed that week through the Fund’s pooled procurement mechanism.
FIND and WHO are supporting research and implementation to help countries use the tests in line with WHO guidance. Separately, Unitaid and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention planned to begin introducing the tests in up to 20 African countries from October 2020, with support from partners including CHAI and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine.
WHO guidance published on September 11, 2020, identified potential uses in areas with widespread community transmission, particularly where molecular testing is unavailable or results are significantly delayed. The tests can support efforts to trace and isolate cases, investigate outbreaks and monitor disease trends.
The initiative is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator’s Diagnostics Pillar, which aims to facilitate the supply of 500 million tests to low- and middle-income countries within 12 months. The partnership combines access to tests with procurement funding, manufacturer volume guarantees and support for their introduction in countries.
Sources: WHO News.