altona joins forces with WHO to eliminate yellow fever epidemics

Based on our YFV RT-PCR test, in 2021, our Sales Representative for Africa Leonie Hecht was contacted by WHO to participate in laboratory trainings as part of the EYE initiative. In the EYE strategy, a collaboration between GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and WHO to take measures to contain yellow fever virus epidemics, diagnostics play a pivotal role. Therefore, standardized real-time RT-PCR protocols for the YFV test should be established in 24 African countries, whose lab staff should be trained in the use of real-time PCR tests. To enhance the competence of the lab staff, altona Diagnostics contributed with a permanently available training video for our RealStar^® Yellow Fever kit.

The first official use of the videos followed in November 2021. altona professionals travelled to Senegal to train lab staff from French-speaking African countries. The videos were shown and formed the basis for the subsequent lab training at the Pasteur Institute in Senegal’s capital Dakar. The usefulness of the videos was highly valued and praised by participants. In the meantime, another successful assignment in Africa took place in Uganda and further training projects are planned for 2022.

You’ll find the training videos on our altona Diagnostics YouTube and Vimeo channels in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese with corresponding subtitles.

Impressions from the RealStar^® Yellow Fever Virus RT-PCR Kit 1.0 training in Senegal, November 2021