Nigerian scientists develop indigenous rapid testing kits for COVID-19: minister

An indigenous rapid testing kit for COVID-19 have been developed by Nigerian scientists for the identification of SARS-Cov-2, which causes COVID-19, Minister of Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu said.

The RNA Swift testing kits can accurately detect SARS-Cov-2 at a drastically lower cost, the minister told reporters in Abuja on Thursday.

In the coming months 5 million farmers will be tested with the RNA Swift kits; 10 million kits will be produced in the first batch, Onu said.

The indigenous RNA Swift test kit will significantly expand Nigeria's testing capacity, said Alex Akpa, head of the National Biotechnology Development Agency.

The kit is very accurate and sensitive and competes favorably with conventional and commercially available kits for the diagnosis of COVID-19, he said.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)