Chinese company donates cover 19 variant detection machine

Zimbabwe has received a donation of an equipment that can detect COVID-19 variants from a Chinese firm

Satewave Technologies has donated the machines, along with 1 000 boxes of traditional Chinese medicine, Lianhua Qingwen capsules worth US$3 500 which it said could be used to limit the impact of COVID-19 on patients.

The PCR machines can do four tests at any one time, with results expected within 45 minutes.

The country is currently battling a third wave of COVID-19 and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also and Health minister, described the intervention as timely as Zimbabwe is battling to contain the Delta variant which has its origins in India.

“Zimbabwe, like other low-income countries, is challenged by for up to 400 million people across Africa.

This extraordinary regional effort complements Covax and comes at a time when COVID-19 cases in the region are rising. World Bank financing is available to support the purchase and deployment of doses secured by AVATT.

“We really appreciate the extraordinary partnership on this initiative between the AU vaccine champion, President Cyril Ramaphosa and David Malpass, the President of the World Bank,” said Masiyiwa who is also the coordinator for AVATT.

The World Bank has $12 billion in vaccine financing available to help countries purchase and distribute vaccines and address readiness issues.