IFC, Proparco, Cerba Lancet Africa partner to expand diagnostic capacity
The International Finance Corporation, France's Proparco, and Cerba Lancet Africa have announced a partnership to strengthen diagnostic capacity and the health response to COVID-19 in Africa. The aim is to increase patient access to a range of laboratory tests - a critical part of tackling COVID-19.
Financial support from IFC and Proparco will reinforce Cerba Lancet Africa's ability to upgrade its existing diagnostics laboratories in Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Cerba Lancet Africa currently operates in 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa serving more than 1.6 million patients a year, making it the largest pan-African network of laboratories in terms of geographic reach and test variety.
IFC and Proparco are providing Cerba Lancet Africa with a €15 million debt facility comprising a €7.5 million loan from IFC's own account and a parallel loan of €7.5 million from Proparco. The loans will be supported by a first-loss guarantee from the International Development Association's Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
