Roche Deploys Ebola Testing Equipment to Bunia

The equipment, consisting of LightCycler and Magna Pure systems, is headed to Bunia following a preconfiguration phase. Local laboratory technicians are currently undergoing training to operate the hardware, which will be used to validate the Bundibugyo virus test developed by the company earlier this year. This validation process is a prerequisite for the broader deployment of additional testing kits and machinery across the country.

"Outbreak response depends on having the right testing capability available where it is needed," said Johan Descombes, General Manager for Francophone West Africa. The initiative supports the Ministry of Health-led response in a territory where the World Health Organization has confirmed over 8,000 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths. By establishing local validation protocols, the partnership hopes to bypass logistical bottlenecks that have historically hampered surveillance efforts in the six provinces currently under emergency status.