Health
Half of approved diagnostics for Africa’s priority epidemic diseases unavailable at primary healthcare level – Report
A new report has revealed that about half of the approved diagnostic tests for six epidemic-prone diseases prioritised by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) cannot be used in most primary healthcare facilities across Africa because they require laboratory infrastructure that is often unavailable.
The report found that 50 per cent of approved diagnostics for Mpox, dengue, cholera, bacterial meningitis, malaria and Ebola depend on laboratory facilities beyond the reach of many frontline health centres.
For Ebola alone, 88 per cent of approved diagnostic tests require laboratory infrastructure.
It also found that funding for diagnostic research and development has steadily declined since 2015, despite Africa’s continued vulnerability to infectious disease outbreaks.
Findings come months after the 2026 Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak, during which health authorities initially failed to detect the virus because available diagnostic tests were designed to identify the Zaire strain of Ebola.
The mismatch delayed confirmation of the outbreak by 10 days, highlighting the consequences of gaps in Africa’s diagnostic preparedness.
The report, titled Diagnostics Deficit: Funding, Access, and Preparedness Gaps in African Health Systems, was launched by global health organisations PATH and Impact Global Health ahead of the African Union Extraordinary Health Summit in Accra, Ghana.
Rapid diagnostic tests play a critical role in identifying outbreaks early, guiding treatment and helping health authorities contain the spread of infectious diseases. However, limited access to these tools, particularly in primary healthcare centres where many patients first seek treatment, continues to weaken disease surveillance and emergency response across the continent.
Uneven progress
The report examined six diseases selected from Africa CDC’s priority list for their epidemic and outbreak potential: mpox, dengue, cholera, bacterial meningitis, malaria, and Ebola. Measles, although also on the priority list, was excluded because comparable G-FINDER funding data were unavailable.
Researchers identified 577 approved diagnostic products across six diseases, with another 59 still under development.
However, innovation remains heavily concentrated in just two diseases. Dengue and mpox account for 84 per cent of all approved and pipeline diagnostic products, while cholera and bacterial meningitis, both identified by Africa CDC as major outbreak and antimicrobial resistance threats, have only seven approved or pipeline products each.
Despite a growing number of diagnostic products, access remains a major challenge. Of the 577 approved diagnostics, 288 require clinical laboratory infrastructure, limiting their use in PHC facilities.
While 83 per cent of malaria diagnostics can be deployed at the PHC level, most approved diagnostics for Ebola and mpox remain laboratory dependent, restricting their use in frontline health facilities.
Further review showed that investment in diagnostic research and development has continued to decline. Using G-FINDER data, the analysis found that annual funding for six diseases has fallen by nearly $4 million (approx. ₦6 billion depending on exchange rates) since 2015, dropping from almost $55 million to less than $26 million in 2024.
It warned that funding typically rises during major outbreaks before falling sharply once emergencies subside, a cycle that leaves African countries inadequately prepared for future epidemics.
Experts’ concerns
Commenting on the findings, Sabastine Wakdok, Director of Research at Impact Global Health, said a steady decline in funding reflects a diagnostic research system struggling to keep pace with Africa’s growing outbreak risks.
Mr Wakdok said investment in research and development for diagnostics targeting six priority diseases has continued to fall despite rising disease incidence across the continent.
He noted that funding often increases during outbreaks but drops sharply once the immediate crisis passes, leaving African countries inadequately prepared for future epidemics.
“Diagnostic R&D investment for six Africa CDC priority diseases has fallen nearly $4 million annually since 2015. More troubling, this decline persists despite rising disease incidence and outbreak risk,” he said.
He added that the continent was not receiving the sustained investment needed for epidemic-prone diseases, warning that outbreak-driven funding cycles leave Africa “perpetually underprepared.”
Also commenting, PATH’s Senior Director for the Centre for Advocacy and Policy, Bernard Aryeetey, said the challenge goes beyond developing new diagnostic technologies to ensuring they reach the people and health facilities that need them most.
Mr Aryeetey stressed that the availability of diagnostic tools alone is not enough if they cannot be accessed during outbreaks or integrated into frontline health systems.
“It is not solely whether diagnostics exist, but also whether they can reach clinics and surveillance systems when they are most needed, especially during outbreaks,” he said.
He warned that unless barriers relating to access, affordability, deployment and manufacturing readiness are addressed, people will continue to die needlessly even when effective diagnostic tools are available.
READ ALSO: PT Health Watch: Why high cholesterol is easy to miss but dangerous to ignore
Recommendations
To address identified gaps, the report called for sustained domestic and international investment in diagnostic research, arguing that emergency-driven funding alone cannot build resilient health systems.
It urged African governments to increase national financing for diagnostics while encouraging global health donors to provide predictable, long-term support.
Authors also recommended that Africa CDC make diagnostics a central pillar of the continent’s health security strategy and called on researchers and manufacturers to prioritise developing diagnostic tools for use in PHC facilities, rather than relying mainly on technologies that require sophisticated laboratory infrastructure.
To improve access across the continent, the report urged the African Medicines Agency to harmonise regulatory approval processes so that diagnostic tests approved in one African country can be recognised more easily in others.
It also highlighted Africa’s growing manufacturing capacity, noting that facilities across the continent can collectively produce more than 500 million diagnostic units annually.
However, weak demand, fragmented regulation, financing constraints and limited ecosystem support continue to prevent manufacturers from operating at scale.
The report concluded that although Africa has expanded its diagnostic pipeline in recent years, improving access, affordability, manufacturing capacity, and deployment will be critical to strengthening the continent’s preparedness for future disease outbreaks.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted two tankers designated to transport edible vegetable oil after they were found carrying Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) in Lagos.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, described the incident as a serious breach of food safety regulations and a potential threat to public health.
Mr Iluyomade said the discovery was made during a recent enforcement operation in Lagos.
He said the agency investigation revealed that the two tankers, meant exclusively for edible vegetable oil, had been loaded with diesel in violation of food safety regulations.
The director said the manager claimed ignorance of the colour-coding requirements for edible oil tankers and that the vehicles had previously been used only to transport diesel.
Mr Iluyomade said the two tankers and their drivers had been taken into custody, while investigations were ongoing to determine the full extent of the violation and ensure appropriate regulatory action.
“Vegetable oil has nothing to do with petrol or petroleum products, and that is why we are very particular about it,” he said.
“Any tanker designated for edible vegetable oil must be dedicated exclusively to that purpose, which is in line with international best practices for food safety.
The director assured the public that NAFDAC would intensify its enforcement and ensure additional vigilance to prevent a recurrence of such violations.
READ ALSO: NAFDAC blacklists Onifam Laboratories over regulatory violations
Mr Iluyomade, who is also the chairman of the National Taskforce, urged operators in the sector to comply with established safety and regulatory requirements.
The agency also appealed to members of the public to support its enforcement efforts by reporting suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office nationwide.
(NAN)
Many people only discover they have high blood pressure or high blood sugar only after falling ill. But another major health risk often goes unnoticed because it rarely causes warning signs until serious complications develop.
High cholesterol is one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. Because it usually causes no symptoms, many people may be living with dangerously high cholesterol levels without knowing it.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), raised cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart attacks and stroke.
The organisation says that reducing saturated fats, eliminating industrial trans fats, eating a healthy diet, staying physically active and avoiding tobacco can help lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The WHO also notes that cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 17.9 million deaths each year.
Similarly, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says high cholesterol often has no symptoms, making regular screening essential because many people only discover they have it after developing heart disease or suffering a stroke.
Although high cholesterol is often associated with older adults, health experts warn that changing lifestyles, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are increasing the risk among younger people as well.
To better understand the hidden dangers of high cholesterol, PT HEALTH WATCH spoke with Happiness Akinde, a medical doctor, on who is most at risk, why regular screening matters and the everyday habits that could silently be increasing cholesterol levels.
Who is most at risk?
Mrs Akinde said that while anyone can develop high cholesterol, certain groups face a significantly higher risk.
According to her, these include people above the age of 40, those who are overweight or obese, and individuals living with diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease.
People with a family history of high cholesterol or early heart disease are also more likely to develop the condition.
She added that smoking and excessive alcohol consumption further increase the risk.
“Particularly in Nigeria, the increasing consumption of processed foods and increasingly sedentary lifestyles have made high cholesterol more common, even among younger adults,” she said.
Why screening matters
Mrs Akinde explained that many people mistakenly believe they would notice if their cholesterol levels were high.
However, she said high cholesterol is often described as a “silent condition” because it usually causes no symptoms.
“A person may feel completely healthy while cholesterol gradually builds up inside the arteries over many years. Many people only discover they have high cholesterol after developing complications such as a heart attack or stroke,” she said.
For this reason, she stressed the importance of routine cholesterol screening.
She advised that healthy adults should have their cholesterol checked at least once between the ages of 20 and 35, particularly if they have risk factors.
From the age of 40, she said cholesterol should generally be checked every four to six years, or more frequently for people living with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, those who smoke or have a family history of heart disease.
People already diagnosed with high cholesterol, she added, should follow their doctor’s recommendations for more frequent monitoring.
Health risks
Mrs Akinde explained that excess cholesterol gradually accumulates inside blood vessels, forming plaques that narrow and harden the arteries in a process known as atherosclerosis.
She said reduced blood flow to the heart can result in chest pain or a heart attack, while reduced blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke.
She added that high cholesterol also increases the risk of peripheral artery disease, which reduces blood flow to the legs, causing pain and poor wound healing.
Everyday habits that raise cholesterol
Mrs Akinde identified several lifestyle habits that contribute to high cholesterol.
These include eating large amounts of fried foods, fast foods, pastries, processed meats and foods rich in saturated or trans fats, alongside physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and being overweight.
She encouraged Nigerians to adopt healthier eating habits by consuming more vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains and fish where affordable.
She also recommended boiling, grilling, steaming or baking foods instead of deep frying, while reducing the intake of fatty meat, processed foods and sugary drinks.
Beyond diet, she advised adults to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, every week, maintain a healthy weight, avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption.
ALSO READ: PT Health Watch: Why routine medical check-ups are essential for everyone – Expert
Importantly, she noted that healthy eating does not always have to be expensive.
“Locally available foods such as beans, vegetables like ugwu and efo, okro, garden eggs, sweet potatoes, oats and fresh fruits can support heart health,” she said.
The danger of reusing cooking oil
Mrs Akinde also warned against repeatedly reheating cooking oil, a common practice in many homes and roadside food businesses.
According to her, every time cooking oil is heated to very high temperatures, it breaks down and forms harmful compounds, including oxidised fats, which may increase inflammation and raise the risk of heart disease.
She advised that cooking oil should be discarded once it becomes very dark, thick, develops a foul smell, produces excessive smoke or begins to foam during heating.
“Ideally, deep frying oil should not be reused many times, especially after prolonged or repeated high-heat frying,” she said.
Know your numbers
Mrs Akinde urged Nigerians not to wait until symptoms appear before paying attention to their heart health.
She advised Nigerians to know their health numbers before symptoms appear by checking their blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight regularly, even when they feel well, while maintaining a balanced diet and staying physically active.
In addition, she urged Nigerians to avoid smoking and going for regular medical check-ups, noting that small, consistent lifestyle changes can help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
“High cholesterol is silent, but its complications are not. Get tested, eat wisely, stay active and protect your heart.”
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