SAMRC receives a donation of 100 000 rapid antibody test kits to boost local COVID-19 research and development

Cape Town | As part of its many interventions to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) will soon receive a donation of 100 000 Orient Gene Rapid Antibody Test Kits from SAHPRA approved Alpha and Omega MedTech, a subsidiary of AOM Group – South Africa’s Healthcare Innovation Company.

This follows a Donation Agreement signed virtually by the two parties at the end of June – the consignment, valued at approximately R25 million will reach the country later this month.

Earlier this year, AOM Group presented the SAMRC with a proposal to donate to them a consignment of 100 000 test kits, to assist with the pandemic response in South Africa – a gesture that was later accepted by the organisation’s Board. The Orient Gene Rapid Antibody Test kit was the first test of its kind to be registered for use in South Africa by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) in 2020 and has been used in various studies to date.

With South Africa sitting at more than 2.2 million accumulated cases, there remains a critical need to fully understand the extent of the epidemic in the country, including prior exposure in asymptomatic individuals– the donation will assist the country in ramping up its surveillance efforts.

President and CEO of the SAMRC, Prof Glenda Gray welcomed the donation and described it as in-kind support that will not only go a long way in boosting local epidemiological surveillance capacity but would also be an invaluable aid to some of the studies led and funded by the organisation. “Epidemiological studies to uncover the numbers of people who have been infected by the virus remain crucial in the COVID-19 response and quality serological tests such as this one play an important role in these studies,” Gray said.

The SAMRC has been playing a central role in the South African response to the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitating dialogue and leading and supporting several major research studies. Because of its excellent track record, the SAMRC has been a partner of choice for a significant number of stakeholders with an interest in supporting the country’s COVID-19 response.

According to AOM Group CEO and Founder, Dr. Brett Lyndall Singh, a South African medical doctor currently based in China, the donation is a concrete example of the Group’s aim of transforming life science on the continent through research and development. Singh said: “AOM Group and its subsidiaries are pleased to partner with SAMRC to participate in the fight against COVID-19. I express our gratitude to the Beijing Embassy of South Africa and Touch Road International Holdings, who were instrumental in the success of this initiative.

Dr Singh also acknowledged AOM Group’s capable team and the efforts of their trusted advisory partners on one of the largest Medical Device Donations to South Africa this year: Wenzhou Medical University, China Africa Bridge, Africa Impact Solutions, CAIB, IASZJNU, WEF Global Shapers Community, Blazing Youth Community, CPAFFC, SAMED, Brand South Africa, ACL, The Innovation Hub, MDMSA, Gift of the Givers Foundation and CDC Africa and AU’s Africa Medical Supplies Platform.

“The Future of Health Tech in South Africa is dependent on equipping Young Scientists with the opportunities and resources to find African Solutions for African Healthcare painpoints, affording them access to further the sustainable development goals (SDG) agenda by strong support and funding,” said Dr Singh, adding that when he attended the Virtual Global Health Symposium hosted by Columbia University, he was encouraged to see that South African Scientists are still at the upper echelon of Global Research.

NOTE TO THE EDITOR:
Tests that are not used directly by the SAMRC or its projects can be offered to provincial Departments of Health to be used as they see fit within the limits of the SAHPRA license. The expiry date of the tests has been indicated as April 2022, which should provide sufficient time to ensure that they can be used.