Covid-19: ECOWAS will harmonize the price of PCR tests

A man is tested for Covid-19 in Cape Town, South Africa on July 23, 2020. AP Photo / Nardus Engelbrecht

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The member countries of the Economic Community of West African States have just committed to harmonizing the price of PCR tests to detect Covid-19, at $ 50.

The main objective is to "facilitate travel" in the region.

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The announcement was made on Saturday 23 January by the President of the ECOWAS Commission during a virtual press briefing.

According to Ivorian Jean-Claude Brou, faced with different prices for PCR tests from one country to another, harmonization was needed to give travelers “

better visibility 

”.

Some countries, such as Ghana and Nigeria, charge up to $ 150 per test, which may cause travelers who need to be tested on departure and arrival to limit travel.

It will therefore now be necessary to pay the equivalent of 50 US dollars in the 15 ECOWAS member countries.

The President of the Commission also indicated that a “ 

Covid vaccine fund

 ” will be set up to finance vaccination campaigns in the sub-region, without however giving a timetable.

It should be fed by member countries and their traditional partners.

The objective is " 

to make grouped purchases of vaccines

 ", which would make it possible to negotiate competitive prices and increase the chances of vaccine availability.

The first will not arrive in a member country of ECOWAS until next month at the earliest, with only 100,000 doses expected in Nigeria.

► See also: ECOWAS: a first summit of heads of state on the coronavirus by videoconference

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  • Coronavirus

  • ECOWAS

  • Health and medicine