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The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has launched a new laboratory designed to greatly cut down the time required for virus sequencing, especially for the poliovirus.

The process of sequencing involves reading the entire DNA of an organism, and it is valuable as it assists public health professionals in comprehending illnesses, directing medical care, and monitoring disease spread.

Kemri stated that in the past, it took over 35 days to sequence polioviruses, which occurred in South Africa or the United States.

The lab will now cut that time to under a week and will also assist nearby countries.

The Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, described the laboratory as “a source of hope, a representation of strength, and a clear example of Kenya’s commitment to protecting the well-being of its citizens.”

He highlighted that the improved facility will shorten the time needed to process results, speed up responses to outbreaks, and solidify Kenya’s position as a regional leader in polio monitoring and research.

“Until recently, the sequencing of polioviruses had to take place in South Africa or at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA. This led to significant delays in confirming results. These delays not only hindered surveillance efforts but also slowed down our response to outbreaks,” said CS Duale.

He mentioned that, in addition to polio, the facility is already conducting sequencing on other significant pathogens, such as MPOX, measles, rubella, and intestinal viruses.

“This laboratory will act as the base for a larger multi-pathogen genomic system. It will enhance our country’s ability to identify and address not only polioviruses but also other outbreak and global health risks,” stated CS Duale.

He mentioned that Kenya is now capable of complying with the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations (IHR) and can take the lead in epidemic readiness across Africa.

The enhanced laboratory functions as Kenya’s National Reference Laboratory and aids in monitoring activities across Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and the Comoros.

The acting Director General of Kemri, Prof Elijah Songok, stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided financial and technical assistance.

“Supported by the World Health Organization and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Kemri has developed local expertise in genomic sequencing. Upon achieving full accreditation in the next few months, this laboratory is expected to significantly cut down processing times, improve effectiveness, and solidify Kenya’s position as a leader in the region,” he mentioned.

Professor Songok added, “For many years, the process of sequencing poliovirus genomes involved sending samples to South Africa or the United States, causing expensive delays that could last more than 35 days before the results were obtained. Such delays hindered the pace of monitoring and affected the effectiveness of outbreak responses in the area.”

He mentioned that Kemri is collaborating with partners to ensure the new high-tech facility succeeds “beyond today’s opening” by leveraging local and global resources, transitioning lab staff from temporary to permanent positions, and improving training for upcoming health crises.

Health CS Duale established the flagship laboratory as part of the national Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) for Health. “Robust disease monitoring and local diagnostic capabilities are essential for Universal Health Coverage since they guarantee that Kenyans in every county are safeguarded against outbreaks, and that our responses are swift, effective, and economical,” he stated.