The Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi is set to automate critical diagnostics at the facility's laboratory.
The hospital signed a contract with Roche Diagnostics to enhance healthcare access in Kenya and East Africa.
“This automation process will expand our capacity, reduce the need for sending of testing outside the country by local healthcare players and attract inbound medical tourism which enhances Kenya's profile as a healthcare hub in the East African region,” Aga Khan University Hospital CEO Rashid Khalani said.
He said timely and accurate diagnosis enables appropriate and targeted treatment, ensuring good outcomes for patients.
It also reduces turnaround times and minimises human error.
The system can simultaneously provide over 800 test results for multiple disease areas on various types of samples within an hour at a time.
The contract is for the installation of cobas® pro integrated solutions diagnostic instrument which can test for multiple communicable and non-communicable diseases simultaneously, speeding up the delivery of test results to patients.
In Kenya, non-communicable diseases are responsible for more than 50 per cent of in-patient hospital admissions and 39 per cent of all deaths annually, with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) accounting for most of these deaths.
Head of East Africa and Anglophone West Africa at Roche Diagnostics Taofik Oloruko-Oba emphasised the importance of the contract, saying quality, accurate diagnostic testing is the first and most critical step in establishing a more efficient healthcare system.
“The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, can now serve as a central hub for testing, empowering patients with increased access to diagnostic testing solutions where they are most needed. It will also provide healthcare practitioners with faster, more accurate results for timely treatment interventions.”
Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the world’s largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics.
Roche will also provide training to clinicians and healthcare professionals, ensuring they can maximise the benefits of the advanced diagnostics system.
The system is also designed to maintain a low environmental footprint, minimising water usage and waste while utilising eco-friendly reagent packaging, contributing to a greener healthcare ecosystem.