FG approves new HIV rapid test kit

The Federal Ministry of Health has approved Wondfo HIV 1 and 2 rapid test kit for HIV testing in the country. National Coordinator of the National AIDS, STI and Hepatitis Control Programme(NASCP) Dr Akudo Ikpeazu made the disclosure on Tuesday while disseminating the laboratory performance evaluation report of the test kit in Abuja. $19m earmarked […]

The Federal Ministry of Health has approved Wondfo HIV 1 and 2 rapid test kit for HIV testing in the country.

National Coordinator of the National AIDS, STI and Hepatitis Control Programme(NASCP) Dr Akudo Ikpeazu made the disclosure on Tuesday while disseminating the laboratory performance evaluation report of the test kit in Abuja.

• $19m earmarked for vulnerable children orphaned by HIV in Nigeria
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She said, “The results of the evaluation which was conducted at the Public Health In vitro Diagnostic Laboratory, Lagos showed that Wondfo HIV 1 and 2 rapid test kit has sensitivity of 99.5% and specificity of 99.4%.

“The rapid test kit has an accuracy of 99.4% with positive and negative predictive values of the kit to the gold standard as 99.3% and 99.5% respectively. These results met the requirements for the kit to be included in the first-line screening) test of the HIV testing algorithm in Nigeria.”

Chief Executive Officer, Prezzo Shed Investments Limited, Emmanuel Njoku said the dissemination comes at a time the federal government was concerned about the quality of care , effectiveness and efficiency in healthcare service delivery.

While thanking the government for approving the test kit, he assured Nigerians that the organisation would continue to maintain the quality of the kits as it makes them available across the country.

Former National Coordinator of NASCP, Dr Segilola Araoye said there was need for availability of different rapid test kits in the country.

Araoye who signed the performance evaluation report said the addition of the Wondfo rapid test kit in the national HIV testing algorithm would provide Nigerians choice of test kits to use.

Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Dr. Gambo Aliyu said the launch of the test kits was another effort by Nigeria in pushing towards achievements of UNAIDS 95:95: 95 treatment target.

Represented by Oladele Tolulope, Assistant Director , Community Prevention Care Services, NACA , Aliyu said HIV testing was the first 95 in the UNAIDS target, and geared towards ensuring that 95% of people who are HIV positive know their status. He said that presently only 73% of people who are HIV positive are aware of their status .

“But with the Wondfo HIV rapid test kit joining the others , we are sure that we will achieve the goal ,” he said.

Dozie Ezechukwu, Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism for Global Fund, Nigeria said Global Fund would support the country with an additional $890 million for HIV/AIDS from 2021 – 2023.

Ezechukwu who was represented by Ibrahim Tajudeen said $79 million out of the amount will be used for HIV test kits.