Hospital installs diagnostic equipment that delivers results in 30 minutes

It can rapidly detect bacteria, fungi, yeast, and other hard-to-identify pathogens, Aga Khan said

by ELISHA SINGIRA

Health29 September 2025 - 13:15

In Summary

Through this initiative, we will work with over 10 public hospitals in Kenya to train multidisciplinary teams on antimicrobial stewardship. - Dr Gunturu Revathi

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A new diagnostic tool that returns results in 30 minutes, down from eight to 18 hours, has been launched at the Aga Khan University hospital.

The Vitek MS Prime, a diagnostic platform from bioMérieux, uses a new technique to rapidly identify microorganisms by analysing their protein profiles.

It can rapidly detect a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, yeast, and other hard-to-identify pathogens that cause pneumonia, meningitis, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections, and other diseases, the university said in a statement.

“Previously, we had to send some samples to Asia, and patients would wait weeks for results. Now, we can do this right here, in our laboratory,” said Dr Shaheen Sayed, chair of the Department of Pathology in a statement. “This technology accelerates diagnosis, improves accuracy, and enables timely, targeted treatment—helping curb inappropriate antibiotic use, fight antimicrobial resistance, and save patients unnecessary costs.”

Rashid Khalani, CEO of AKUH, Nairobi, hailed the acquisition as a milestone in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing concern across countries in the global south.

“As we know, antimicrobial resistance is a global health issue; through this technology and project, we will be able to inform physicians and patients quickly and accurately which will help in faster diagnosis and hence faster and correct interventions,” he said.

The new installation is part of the Centre of Excellence in Microbiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship Project, a collaboration between Aga Khan University Hospital and the bioMérieux Global Academy for Medical Education.

Dr Gunturu Revathi, head of Clinical Microbiology at AKUHN and Principal Investigator of the project, highlighted the broader national impact.

“Through this initiative, we will work with over 10 public hospitals in Kenya to train multidisciplinary teams on antimicrobial stewardship. The Vitek MS Prime will not only speed up diagnosis and care for our patients but will also strengthen capacity across the public healthcare system,” she said.