BD expands disease expertise to Africa

BD (formerly Becton Dickinson) has announced plans to improve laboratory systems and services in African countries severely affected by HIV/Aids and tuberculosis (TB).

In a public-private partnership with the US president’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), BD will train health personnel and implement quality-assurance guidelines on haematology, chemistry, CD4 testing and rapid HIV testing.

"Our experience in sub-Saharan Africa has taught us that fragile healthcare systems are among the root causes inhibiting expansion of treatment access for people living with HIV/Aids and TB," explained Gary Cohen, executive vice-president of BD.

"This unique public-private partnership enables us to apply our collaborative knowledge, expertise and resources toward strengthening health systems in the region, focused on improving laboratory testing capabilities," he continued.

Also intended to improve access to TB diagnostics for HIV-positive patients, BD has pointed out that the link between TB and HIV/AIDS is a "significant global health problem".

BD is a leading global medical technology company with technical expertise relating to laboratory systems.

Specialising in the improvement of drug therapy, the firm also seeks to enhance the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and advance the research and discovery of new drugs and vaccines.