The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Incas Diagnostics, a diagnostic company in Kumasi, have jointly developed a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kit to help test for the novel coronavirus.

This was announced in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe.

The statement said the creation of the test kit is in line with Ghana’s objectives in the fight against the coronavirus, specifically to “contain the spread of the virus, inspire the expansion of domestic capability and deepen self-reliance”.

The device, according to the statement only needs a finger-prick drop of blood from the individual and “detects two different types of antibodies produced by the body to fight off the COVID-19 infection about seven days after infection and also in those who have been exposed to the virus but not showing any symptoms (asymptomatic) or recovered from the infection”.

It further stated that the testing process with this kit takes just about 15-20 minutes to perform, and “would enable those tested to know their results in a shorter time to enable decision making in real-time by health authorities”.

The COVID-19 RDT is however still being optimised and its “developers are currently engaging the Food and Drugs Authority for the necessary regulatory framework”.