IAEA gives Congo 50 million CFA Francs for coronavirus detection equipment

22 Mai 2020

Brazzaville, Congo, May 22  (Infosplusgabon) -  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will provide the Congolese government with large-scale, time-limited detection equipment for the Covid-19, which is estimated to cost 50 million CFA francs, official sources in Brazzaville  said on Friday.

The IAEA's donation consists of high-tech detection equipment not only for Covid-19, but also for neglected pathologies, using the Amplification chain reaction technique (PCR).

These include biosecurity cabinets, materials to purify DNA or RNA for a PCR reaction, oligonucleotides that are PCR consumables, Centrifuges.

Personal protective and disinfection equipment and several other consumables useful for the pandemic response are on the list.

Regarding the mastery of technology in the use of the expected material, it is noted that the Faculty of Science and Technology, the National Institute for Research in Exact and Natural Sciences (IRSEN), the National Institute for Research in Health Sciences (IRSSA) and the National Laboratory of Public Health (LNSP) have molecular biologists capable of conducting experiments and giving answers with reliable results.

As Covid-19 continues to spread around the world, testing and early detection of the virus is becoming increasingly important to contain the pandemic.

One of the fastest and most accurate detection methods of the Covid-19 virus is a nuclear-based technique called reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RT-PCR is not only an important tool in the detection and characterization of viruses that cause diseases such as Covid-19, but it is also used by veterinary experts to understand the origins of the virus and support the preparation of countries in the early detection of viruses that cause such zoonotic diseases.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/TYG/GABON2020

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