Attention is focusing on simultaneous diagnosis of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B...Will SD BioSensor become a game changer to solve African maternal and child infections
Jul 29, 2025
Mother infection is a phenomenon in which an infectious disease possessed by a mother spreads to a baby during pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation.
Although preventable, a severe public health crisis still persists in Africa due to maternal and child infections of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.
If not treated in a timely manner, the maternal and child infection rate for each disease reaches 45% for HIV, 80% for syphilis, and 90% for hepatitis B, especially about 90% of newborns infected with hepatitis B are at risk of progressing to chronic hepatitis B. In addition, syphilis is considered a threatening infectious disease for both mothers and newborns as it can cause congenital infections in about 50 to 80% of pregnant women, resulting in serious complications in the fetus, such as premature birth and stillbirth.
In this regard, a pan-African health conference 'Triple Elimination Conference in Africa 2025 (TECA 2025)' was held in Kampala, Uganda from the 21st to the 23rd to discuss cooperation plans and implementation strategies with the aim of ending maternal-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B by 2030.
SD Biosensor participated as a TECA 2025 Platinum sponsor and successfully conducted symposiums and exhibition booths.
SD Biosensor held a symposium on the 22nd and presented under the theme of 「Current diagnosis of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B with one kit: Integrated HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B screening with one device」. The symposium was successfully held with about 500 health officials from African countries, experts from international organizations, and industry officials.
The symposium was chaired by Dr. Linda Navitaka, the Ministry of Health, Uganda, and Mr. Stanford Mupandasekwa, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Zimbabwe, and Ms. Judith Kyokushaba, the Ministry of Health, Uganda, Uganda) participated as a speaker and shared the results of the field evaluation of SD biosensor's new product 'Standard Q HIV/Syp/HBsAg Triple'.
In particular, Zimbabwean actor Stanford Mupandasekwa highlighted the advantages of 'Standard Q HIV/Syphilis/Hepatitis B simultaneous diagnosis kit' through a symposium presentation. Currently, simultaneous diagnosis of HIV and syphilis is possible in Zimbabwe, but hepatitis B is tested according to a separate diagnostic algorithm, so it is pointed out as a major limitation that test omission may occur at actual medical sites. He said that the new SD biosensor's new product can diagnose three infectious diseases simultaneously with just one blood collection, which not only increases the diagnosis rate but also greatly improves field usability. As a result of the clinical evaluation, it was confirmed that the product has the same level of diagnostic performance as that of the Standard Q HIV/Syphilis Combo' and that of the hepatitis B diagnostic kit (STANDARD Q HBsAg)', which have a high share in the African market based on the World Health Organization's Prequalification Assessment (WHO PQ) certification.
Director of Africa Business Division Bangaram SDBiosensor met with health authorities of major African countries at this TECA 2025 to discuss procurement plans for the new product 'Standard Q HIV/Syphilis/Hepatitis B simultaneous diagnosis kit' and country-specific introduction plans"We are actively conducting clinical trials for obtaining international certification, including World Health Organization pre-qualification (WHO PQ) certification, and plan to use the global network of SD biosensors established by international organizations, overseas subsidiaries, and local agencies in line with the future permit schedule."
Although preventable, a severe public health crisis still persists in Africa due to maternal and child infections of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.
If not treated in a timely manner, the maternal and child infection rate for each disease reaches 45% for HIV, 80% for syphilis, and 90% for hepatitis B, especially about 90% of newborns infected with hepatitis B are at risk of progressing to chronic hepatitis B. In addition, syphilis is considered a threatening infectious disease for both mothers and newborns as it can cause congenital infections in about 50 to 80% of pregnant women, resulting in serious complications in the fetus, such as premature birth and stillbirth.
In this regard, a pan-African health conference 'Triple Elimination Conference in Africa 2025 (TECA 2025)' was held in Kampala, Uganda from the 21st to the 23rd to discuss cooperation plans and implementation strategies with the aim of ending maternal-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B by 2030.
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SD Biosensor held a symposium on the 22nd and presented under the theme of 「Current diagnosis of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B with one kit: Integrated HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B screening with one device」. The symposium was successfully held with about 500 health officials from African countries, experts from international organizations, and industry officials.
The symposium was chaired by Dr. Linda Navitaka, the Ministry of Health, Uganda, and Mr. Stanford Mupandasekwa, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Zimbabwe, and Ms. Judith Kyokushaba, the Ministry of Health, Uganda, Uganda) participated as a speaker and shared the results of the field evaluation of SD biosensor's new product 'Standard Q HIV/Syp/HBsAg Triple'.
In particular, Zimbabwean actor Stanford Mupandasekwa highlighted the advantages of 'Standard Q HIV/Syphilis/Hepatitis B simultaneous diagnosis kit' through a symposium presentation. Currently, simultaneous diagnosis of HIV and syphilis is possible in Zimbabwe, but hepatitis B is tested according to a separate diagnostic algorithm, so it is pointed out as a major limitation that test omission may occur at actual medical sites. He said that the new SD biosensor's new product can diagnose three infectious diseases simultaneously with just one blood collection, which not only increases the diagnosis rate but also greatly improves field usability. As a result of the clinical evaluation, it was confirmed that the product has the same level of diagnostic performance as that of the Standard Q HIV/Syphilis Combo' and that of the hepatitis B diagnostic kit (STANDARD Q HBsAg)', which have a high share in the African market based on the World Health Organization's Prequalification Assessment (WHO PQ) certification.
Director of Africa Business Division Bangaram SDBiosensor met with health authorities of major African countries at this TECA 2025 to discuss procurement plans for the new product 'Standard Q HIV/Syphilis/Hepatitis B simultaneous diagnosis kit' and country-specific introduction plans"We are actively conducting clinical trials for obtaining international certification, including World Health Organization pre-qualification (WHO PQ) certification, and plan to use the global network of SD biosensors established by international organizations, overseas subsidiaries, and local agencies in line with the future permit schedule."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
