Africa Day on May 25 (*) gives us the opportunity each year to note the deep economic and technologic transformation of this vast continent. The share of African countries in the market is continuously increasing, even if the diversity of cultures and the disparate socio-economic situations do not place all African countries on the same level..
Our distributors’ network
The still low share of the African HI market in the world market (50 M€ or about 5%), has not prevented DIAGAST, since its creation, to have in its network, commercial distributors on the African market.
- First and most logically, in French-speaking African countries, thanks to the strong influence of French Blood Service.
- But since 2010 on West Africa, which is experiencing high economic growth rates.
Our network of distributors, is currently made up of 12 companies. These experienced and well-established partners, distribute DIAGAST reagents and automated systems in 33 countries. Our recognized experience and know-how is thus at the service of African transfusion: the first implementation of a QWALYS on African soil dates back to 2009 in Rwanda.
Our actions
In such different countries with such disparate health systems, our role is not only commercial: it is based on a solid and faithful partnership. DIAGAST is always committed to find the solution perfectly adapted to the country, its transfusion organization or its health system. DIAGAST participates at its level, in the technical transformation of Africa in terms of Immuno-hematology.
Africa must become ambitious and innovative: this is also one of our missions.
The very strong relationship we have built with our partners over the years and our partnership with the EFS but also with the National Blood Transfusion Centers, is expressed in particular in Côte d’Ivoire (Dr. Konaté or Dr. Sekongo) where five QWALYS have been running routinely for several years in the regional sites of the CNTS (Collection and qualification of donations). We have even selected the CNTS in Abidjan as a “sentinel laboratory“.
Training of laboratory technicians is, of course, one of our priorities and our teams go on site to install the QWALYS automated systems and ensure its perfect routine use. During the health situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, these trainings were provided remotely by our marketing and application engineering teams, with excellent results.
Participating in continental events
Our past, present and future event agendas always include active participation in major African conferences and congresses:
- Congresses organized by national blood transfusion societies (South Africa, Egypt, Morocco,…)
- events created by pan-African organizations such as RAFTS (1), ATMF (2), AfSBT (3)…
(1) Africa French-speaking Network for Blood Transfusion (2) Arab Transfusion Medicine Forum (3) Africa Society of Blood Transfusion
DIAGAST participates by booking booth space and also by organizing scientific workshops on current and future topics in our core business: immuno-hematology.
In brief, the challenges and successes encountered by African Blood Transfusion are gradually leading to the achievement of its major objective: self-sufficiency and blood safety for all.
| (*) Why May 25th? This day celebrates the founding congress of the Organization of African Union (OAU), the forerunner of the current African Union, on May 25, 1963. At the time, the objective of the nascent pan-African organization was to unite the 32 newly independent states, but also to help the people to achieve independence. |