(Yicai Global) Sept. 23 -- China's BGI Genomics has kicked off production at its new plant in Ethiopia to help the East African nation reduce its reliance on imported Covid-19 testing kits.

The diagnostics firm has invested USD5 million in the factory that should improve the country's capability of detecting Covid-19 cases, Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday. 

Ethiopia’s health ministry has already inked an agreement with the Shenzhen-headquartered company to buy 1.5 million testing kits in three batches, the first of which should be delivered by Oct. 15. 

The facility can first make from 6 million to 8 million testing kits a year, and the capacity can be lifted to 10 million based on local demand. After the epidemic is over, the plant can start making diagnostic tools for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, and export the products to other African nations. 

All the production materials and testing devices used in the construction of the factory were imported from China, said Chen Songheng, general manager of BGI Ethiopia.

As of Sept. 21, Ethiopia has had more than 69,700 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 1,108 deaths, according to the health ministry.

Editor: Emmi Laine