Health and biotech company 54Gene has raised $500,000 for a fund aimed at improving Nigeria’s capacity to carry out tests for COVID-19.

The money raised for the Nigeria COVID-19 Testing Support Fund will ramp up testing for the disease by up to 1,000 additional tests a day, the company said.

The improved capacity will be achieved by buying testing instruments, biosafety cabinets, personal protective equipment and other materials for the safety of health workers and caregivers involved in Nigeria’s response effort.

Fundraising is still in progress to raise the capacity to 5,000 tests per day.

Since its founding in 2019, 54Gene has gained praise for an out-of-the box business capable of putting Africa on the global healthcare map. The startup secured a $4.5 million seed funding barely 7 months after it launched. The sum was raised from investors like YCombinator, Fifty Years, Better Ventures, KdT Ventures, Hack VC and Techammer.

“This is the kind of support we need. Identify a problem, run with it and include a sustainability plan in your solution. We are very grateful for this new partnership with 54gene at a critical point in our health security,” Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General of NCDC, said.


https://techcabal.com/2020/03/26/54gene-covid-19-union-bank/

The money raised for the Nigeria COVID-19 Testing Support Fund will ramp up testing for the disease by up to 1,000 additional tests a day, the company said.

NGpatriot:



Great to see the private sector and young Nigerians stepping up, we love to see testing ramped up to 10,000 per day..

NGpatriot: