The company supplied two molecular testing systems and is training local laboratory staff to support validation of a PCR test for Bundibugyo virus as testing demand exceeds available capacity.
Roche Diagnostics has supplied two molecular testing instruments to the Institut National de Santé Publique (INSP) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to expand laboratory testing capacity during an ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus.
Testing demand currently exceeds available laboratory capacity in the region. To address the shortfall, Roche Diagnostics committed to reinforcing local testing infrastructure and training laboratory staff. Roche will preconfigure the LightCycler and MagNA Pure instruments, and local laboratory technicians will undergo training before the platforms are deployed to Bunia for validation testing.
“Outbreak response depends on having the right testing capability available where it is needed,” says Johan Descombes, general manager, Francophone West Africa, in a release. “By working with the INSP to provide equipment, training and support for local validation, Roche Diagnostics is helping to expand the laboratory capacity available to the dedicated responders in the DRC. At this critical time, local expertise is crucial to fighting the outbreak, and this is an important step forward in expanding testing capacity to help respond to local needs.”
Validating PCR Testing for Bundibugyo Virus
The delivery follows Roche’s announcement in June that it developed a research use only molecular PCR test targeting the Bundibugyo virus.
With the instruments on site in the DRC, the partnership between Roche and INSP aims to establish local laboratory testing capacity and secure the regulatory validation required before additional test kits are shipped. Once validation of the Research Use Only tests is completed, Roche expects to deploy additional instruments and expedite test deliveries to assist the response effort.
“The delivery of these instruments is an important step, but the work continues,” says Descombes in a release. “As validation progresses, we are committed to working alongside the INSP and local laboratory teams to understand where further support can make the greatest difference. We aim to contribute to testing capacity that can respond to this outbreak and strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks and pandemics.”
Surveillance and Case Fatality Rates
The laboratory equipment deployment arrives amid severe disease burden in the country. As of September 28, 2026, UN health authority data reported 8,067 confirmed cases and 3,901 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 48.4% across 60 health zones in six provinces.
The World Health Organization (WHO) assessed the risk in the DRC as very high and affirmed that the outbreak remains a public health emergency of international concern. Rapid molecular testing remains central to case detection, epidemiological surveillance, and infection control measures, directly aligning with WHO temporary recommendations to strengthen diagnostic investigations and curb transmission across the region.
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