BioMerieux debuts in Nigeria, to fight infectious diseases

BioMerieux Diagnostics Solutions, a world leader in  microbiology and player in infectious diseases diagnostics through high medical value tests in immunology, and a comprehensive strategy in molecular diagnostics has been launched in Nigeria.

The company which has been in existence for over 50 years with operations in 160 countries all over the world thought it fit to bring its innovations to the Nigerian market.

Although Nigeria is not the first African country to host BioMerieux as a business, the company’s mission and ambition states clearly that it aimed at Pioneering Diagnostics to improve public health especially in the fight against infectious diseases.

Biomerieux is a diagnostics company which specializes in three specific fields: microbiology, molecular biology and immune assays.

The company which has been working on improving public health by focusing and targeting specific health care issues and trends such as sepsis and Anti-Microbial Resistance had come up with solutions that has been able to help reduce death in these areas.

The company disclosed that the target market for these facilities are the clinicians who they help by removing the guess work and giving them the assurance of having the right data, to help simplify operations as well as optimize cost for laboratories and ultimately to improve the health care system.

Speaking at the event, Sinde Chekete, vice president – Africa cluster stated that the company have been fighting infectious diseases for more than 50 years and has currently adopted a Syndromic approach in carrying out some of its diagnoses.

Chekete hinted that although some of their solutions are recent; their presence in Africa has been limited to Northern Africa, South Africa and some Franco phone African countries in the sub Saharan region.

“The company’s objective is to fight infectious diseases, increase knowledge to a higher number of people which brings up a need for their services to be affordable,”

He urged the government and stakeholders to make this possible as they do not sell these solutions directly to the end users but rather as middle men who get affected by slot of factors that ultimately determine the affordability of these facilities.

Vianney Lecornier, marketing director for Africa said that the solutions they provide would bring additional medical value for the patient and public health in the country, adding that the launch of Biomerieux is to implement deep strategy to improve health and will be in Nigeria in next 30 to 60 years.

Charles Sokei, Area Business Manager for the English West Africa who is the business owner of Biomerieux in Nigeria said Nigerian market is still immature, with huge potentials and there is need to help the labs provide better diagnostic solutions.

Sokei stressed that the aim is to get reliable diagnostic solutions for patients, adding that the solutions would curb the rising spate of medical tourism in the country as such tests could be run in the country.

According to him, discussions are on-going with the government through their distributors to ensure best use of their equipment is being made especially in the government agencies.

He disclosed that DCL laboratories are partnering with BioMieurex to bring these devices into the country. BioMieurex is also partnering with Fidelity Bank to provide financing and loan facilities to intending buyers.

The Biomerieux devices include the VIDAS family and RDT for immunoassay solutions, the BioFire FilmArray for the Syndromic testing solutions and their microbiology solutions which is the  ID/AST and blood culture. The devices provide test results quicker and can better diagnose ailments with similar symptoms such as meningitis

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