Kenya Becomes First in Sub-Saharan Africa to Get Life-Saving Diagnosis Technology

Kenya is now the first country in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa to receive a lifesaving diagnosis technology that cuts treatment time from 18 to 30 minutes.

The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH, N), has acquired the advanced Vitek MS Prime model, underscoring Kenya’s leadership in diagnostic innovation.

In a statement dated September 27, the Hospital confirmed the installation of a life-saving diagnostic platform that delivers results in about 18 to 30 minutes, down from the previous 8 to 18 hours.

“Patients with infectious diseases will now receive life-saving diagnosis and treatment faster, thanks to new technology at Aga Khan University Hospital,” read part of the Agha Khan statement.

Breakthrough for Faster Diagnosis

The new Vitek MS Prime system from bioMérieux utilizes MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to rapidly identify bacteria, fungi, yeast, and other hard-to-detect pathogens that cause illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, gastroenteritis, and urinary tract infections.

“This milestone reflects our patient-centred efforts to address the growing burden of infectious diseases in the country and the region,” said Rashid Khalani, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital.

This speed enables clinicians to initiate targeted treatment almost immediately, thereby reducing complications and unnecessary costs.

Dr. Shaheen Sayed, Chair of the Department of Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, said the hospital no longer needs to send samples abroad for confirmation.

“This technology accelerates diagnosis, improves accuracy, and enables timely, targeted treatment, helping curb inappropriate antibiotic use, fight antimicrobial resistance, and save patients unnecessary costs,” she explained.

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The hospital previously referred some complex samples to laboratories in Asia, with patients often waiting weeks for results. Now the entire process can be done on-site in half an hour.

Global Standards

Accredited by the College of American Pathologists, the hospital’s laboratory meets the highest international standards of quality.

With the Vitek MS Prime now operational, Kenya stands at the forefront of rapid, life-saving infectious disease diagnosis in Sub-Saharan Africa, setting a model for other countries seeking to strengthen their healthcare systems.

Dr Gunturu Revathi, Head of Clinical Microbiology and Principal Investigator of the project, noted that the technology will not only speed up diagnosis for the Aga Khan University Hospital patients but also strengthen national capacity.

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Training programmes will help public hospitals adopt best practices in infection control and antibiotic use, critical in combating antimicrobial resistance.

Marc Haribou, Vice President for Clinical Operations in Africa at bioMérieux, highlighted the importance of such partnerships.

He said reliable and rapid diagnostics are essential to improving patient outcomes and to the continent’s fight against resistant infections.

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