(MENAFN) Russia is set to deliver a mobile anti-epidemic laboratory to Burkina Faso that can test for over 20 infectious diseases, including high-risk pathogens, the Russian Ministry of Energy announced on Wednesday.

Developed by Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s public health agency, the lab can conduct up to 800 tests daily and is designed for easy assembly and mobility, allowing it to be deployed anywhere within Burkina Faso. The facility is expected to arrive by December 1, according to Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev.

This delivery is part of a cooperative program initiated by President Vladimir Putin aimed at helping African countries combat epidemics. Tsivilev also met with Burkina Faso’s interim leader Ibrahim Traore, resulting in the establishment of a Russian-Burkinabe intergovernmental commission to strengthen bilateral ties. Trade between the two nations increased nearly fivefold in 2024, primarily due to Russian exports of food, agricultural materials, and chemicals.

Russia has been expanding its support across Africa, having delivered a mobile lab to the Republic of the Congo in February and providing diagnostic kits and training for mpox. Burundi recently opened a Russian-equipped infectious disease research lab.

Additionally, Rospotrebnadzor has offered assistance to Uganda in fighting the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease, delivering a mobile lab last year to enhance rapid diagnosis of dangerous infections.

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