Pasha 60: The challenges facing African countries testing for COVID-19

Testing for COVID-19 is crucial in understanding how many people have the disease and how fast and far it’s spreading. But testing comes with challenges, including test kit production and logistics constraints, and how best to protect healthcare workers.

There are testing initiatives under way in many African countries, including a drive-through concept in Kenya. In today’s episode of Pasha, Ahmed Kalebi, chief consultant pathologist at Lancet Kenya and honorary lecturer at the department of human pathology at the University of Nairobi, explains how a test works and looks at the challenges.

Photo: Testtube corona virus world map. By redstallion/Getty Images

Music: “Happy African Village” by John Bartmann, found on FreeMusicArchive.org licensed under CC0 1.

“Heat” by Derek Clegg, found on Free Music Archive licensed under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike