Made in Africa: New measles rapid diagnostic tests mark breakthrough for vaccination efforts

Made in Africa: New measles rapid diagnostic tests mark breakthrough for vaccination efforts

Save the Children/2026/Brian Brian Otieno

  • First-of-their-kind rapid measles diagnostic tests will support targeted vaccination during outbreaks and identification of priorities for preventive vaccination efforts.

  • Deployment of tests, financed by Gavi and manufactured by DIATROPIX in Senegal, represents an important milestone for African manufacturing.

  • An Vermeersch, Chief Vaccine Programmes and Markets Officer, Gavi: “By investing in local manufacturing capacity, we are not only helping to protect communities now, we are also putting in place systems that are better able to help prevent outbreaks from happening again in the future.”

Geneva, 30 September 2026 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance today announced a major milestone for measles surveillance with approval to deploy first-ever measles rapid diagnostic tests. The breakthrough is the result of longstanding cooperation between Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the Gates Foundation and other partners to advance measles surveillance and support faster outbreak response.

These new measles diagnostics are the only rapid test to meet required performance criteria following a rigorous evaluation process conducted by WHO and partners. Manufactured by DIATROPIX, a subsidiary of Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal, they represent an important technical breakthrough in the fight against measles and underscore the growing strength of African manufacturing.

Up to 500,000 tests are expected to be deployed each year once the programme is up and running, with first rollouts expected to begin in Senegal later this year. Gavi investment in these tests forms part of a larger US$43 million funding package approved by the Gavi Board in 2025 to fund diagnostic kits across a range of diseases.

“Improving the effectiveness of vaccinations, strengthening outbreak response and investing in local manufacturing are central tenets to the Gavi Leap and our efforts to build our work around the needs of countries,” said An Vermeersch, Chief Vaccine Programmes & Markets Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “By investing in local manufacturing capacity, we are not only helping to protect communities now, we are also putting in place systems that are better able to help prevent outbreaks from happening again in the future.”

Strengthening measles immunisation efforts

Measles vaccines have contributed to a dramatic reduction in global cases and deaths since 2000 – saving nearly 20 million lives in Africa alone. However, effective strategies for measles control must be guided by timely and reliable measles surveillance data. Surveillance supports early detection and quick response in outbreaks, and also plays a key role in providing stakeholders with the data they need to target, design, implement, and evaluate interventions. These new measles tests will therefore help fight outbreaks by enabling faster and more cost-effective case confirmation, strengthening outbreak detection and supporting more targeted and rapid response – leading to smaller outbreaks and less morbidity and mortality. They will also help in the design of targeted preventive vaccination efforts.

Measles immunity gaps remain a significant concern globally, given the high transmissibility of the virus and high risk of serious outbreaks. Despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine, populations without adequate protection fueled a resurgence of outbreaks and deaths. The number of countries facing large outbreaks has almost tripled since 2021, with 59 countries experienced large or disruptive outbreaks in 2024. In lower-income countries, coverage remained far below required levels in 2025 despite progress, with more than 15.6 million children in these countries missing a first dose of measles vaccine.

Measles also serves an early warning indicator for gaps in routine childhood immunization systems. In 2024, there were an estimated 95,000 measles deaths globally – the vast majority among zero-dose children (those who have never received a single routine vaccine) or under-immunised children under five. Measles diagnostics tests can therefore help governments and partners identify communities that have high numbers of un-imunised or under-immunised children – strengthening efforts to reach these populations with vaccines and other life-saving health interventions.

This milestone in efforts to combat measles follow years of collaboration and investment across partners. The Gates Foundation contributed approximately $7 million, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) contributed approximately US$1 million to support this process. The UK Health Security Agency supported the development and validation of the test. Through successive technology transfers and technical support, Institut Pasteur and DIATROPIX completed product development, which was then independently evaluated by the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory under WHO’s Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, with support from Gavi to coordinate these efforts.

Partner quotes

Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, Government of Canada: “This breakthrough demonstrates what can be achieved through strong international collaboration, scientific excellence and innovation. I am proud that the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory played a key role in conducting the laboratory evaluation of this new test through the WHO’s Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network. This important global achievement will help countries detect measles cases sooner, particularly in communities where timely laboratory access is limited. Faster detection means quicker outbreak responses, stronger surveillance and, ultimately, better protection for children and communities from this preventable disease.”

Dr Kate O'Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO: “The first-ever measles rapid diagnostic test is a major achievement for outbreak detection and response. By enabling fast, affordable case confirmation closer to where people live, the test has the potential to transform measles surveillance, especially in remote, fragile and emergency settings where laboratory access is limited, and accelerate efforts towards measles elimination,”

Greg Widmyer, Director, Immunization, Gates Foundation: “Measles remains one of the clearest warning signs of gaps in routine immunization. This rapid test gives countries a faster, more affordable way to identify measles cases, respond to outbreaks, and target vaccination where it's needed most. We're proud to have supported its development with partners in Senegal and the UK and we look forward to seeing country partners bring it to the communities that need it."

Ephrem Lemango, Global Chief of Immunization at UNICEF: “Every measles case is a warning that children and communities are being missed by routine immunization. UNICEF will work with governments and partners to strengthen national immunization systems, so they are more responsive and adaptive, integrating rapid diagnostic tests to identify gaps earlier and reach missed children faster.”

Notes to Editors

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organisations that fund Gavi’s work here.

Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 1.2 billion children – and prevented more than 20.6 million future deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 78 lower‑income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal, yellow fever and mpox vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation, above all the zero-dose children who have not received even a single vaccine shot. The Vaccine Alliance employs innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X and YouTube.

Related Content