Infectious Disease Diagnostics Markets in sub-Saharan Africa

Research Overview

This Frost & Sullivan research service titled Infectious Disease Diagnostics Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa provides an overview of market opportunities in the region, with particular focus on South Africa. The study includes a complete analysis of key market drivers, restraints and trends. It also provides strategic solutions to vendors to gain advantage in the markets.

Market Sectors

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors in this research:

By Type of Disease:

• HIV/AIDS
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Malaria

By Geographic Region:

• Botswana
• Kenya
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Market Overview

Rising Incidence of Diseases Drives Growth in the Infectious Disease Diagnostics Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa

With a high incidence of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, the need for appropriate and early diagnosis of these diseases is assuming greater importance. The high disease burden, combined with increasing focus from both, regional governments and global communities to treat these diseases makes sub-Saharan Africa an attractive market for manufacturers of diagnostics for infectious diseases. Increased international funding and government initiatives such as the anti-retroviral programme (ARV) are other factors that are expected to promote growth in the infectious disease diagnostics markets in the region.

Despite the region being highly disease-prone, physicians often diagnose diseases based on clinical symptoms. This often leads to misdiagnosis and over-diagnosis of diseases. Moreover, laboratories are not well equipped, which in turn, questions the accuracy of test results. Thus, physicians consider test results as an additional source of information for disease diagnosis and in several cases, diagnose diseases without laboratory confirmation. "While clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases poses several challenges, the availability of rapid diagnostic tests is likely to govern growth in the infectious disease diagnostics markets," notes the analyst of this research service. "Rapid tests which are simpler and faster to use are proving to be a viable option in sub-Saharan Africa, where diagnostics tests are performed in resource-limited settings." The availability of these rapid tests that can be performed outside laboratory settings has assisted in improving test performance and is expected to positively impact the markets.

Focus on Price Crucial for Market Success

The major challenge in the markets is to develop diagnostic tests at affordable prices. "The plethora of diseases in the region offers the researchers to develop novel biomarkers both for disease identification and treatment," explains the analyst. "However, commercialisation of these tests is a challenge, as manufacturers will need to strike a balance between development costs and profit margins."

Moreover, IVD manufacturers can collaborate with research institutions in sub-Saharan Africa to develop these rapid tests in order to establish their clinical utility easily. With several institutes focusing on infectious diseases, such research collaboration will aid in understanding regional diseases better, and can thus reduce their research and development (R&D) costs in developing diagnostic test kits.