Técnico, Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC) and Hidrofer are jointly producing 100,000 Covid-19 test kits per week, with the support of Logoplaste, the Luso American Development Foundation and Santander Bank.

Each kit consists of two swabs and a tube containing viral transport medium. Hidrofer produces Dacron swabs, the best type of swabs to test for Covid-19. It is the responsibilty of Técnico to ensure swab sterilisation and ABC produces the liquid necessary to insert the swab into the tube after collection. Due to the lack of material and a growing shortage of reagents, we decided to bring partners together to begin mass producing this type of material”, explains the president of Técnico, professor Rogério Colaço. “Right now we are able to produce 100,000 kits per week and we already have 30,000 kits to be sent to the competent authorities”.

According to Nuno Marques, president of ABC, “this initiative reinforces the important role of research as a public service provider. We must use scientific knowledge for the benefit of society, so we are seeking new solutions on a daily basis in order to respond to the problem we are facing right now”.