Production of Rapid Diagnostic Test for human papillomavirus (HPV)

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Production of Rapid Diagnostic Test for human papillomavirus (HPV)

Country
Sector
Most major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Health Care
Sub Sector
Most major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Medical Technology
Indicative Return
Describes the rate of growth an investment is expected to generate within the IOA. The indicative return is identified for the IOA by establishing its Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return of Investment (ROI) or Gross Profit Margin (GPM).
10% - 15% (in ROI)
Investment Timeframe
Describes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.
Short Term (0–5 years)
Market Size
Describes the value of potential addressable market of the IOA. The market size is identified for the IOA by establishing the value in USD, identifying the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or providing a numeric unit critical to the IOA.
< USD 50 million
Average Ticket Size (USD)
Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.
USD 1 million - USD 10 million
Direct Impact
Describes the primary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Good health and well-being (SDG 3)
Indirect Impact
Describes the secondary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Gender Equality (SDG 5) Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)

Business Model Description

Produce rapid diagnostic tests for HPV, based on biomarkers, to improve the screening of cervical cancer by supplying healthcare facilities, mid-wives and doctors (B2B model) and offering flexible payment modalities especially for smaller healthcare facilities or NGOs.

Expected Impact

The production of RDT for HPV supplying healthcare providers enables a widespread cervical cancer screening, early detection and better treatment, benefiting women's health and reducing mortality.

How is this information gathered?

Investment opportunities with potential to contribute to sustainable development are based on country-level SDG Investor Maps.

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Country & Regions

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Country
Region
  • Senegal: Dakar
  • Senegal: Nord
  • Senegal: Centre
  • Senegal: Sud
Learn more

Sector Classification

Situate the investment opportunity within sustainability focused sector, subsector and industry classifications.
Sector

Health Care

Development need
Despite progress, Senegal ranks 115th out of 195 on the Global Health Security Index, facing limited healthcare infrastructures and capacity, disrupted drug supply, and a health budget below WHO standards. Access and quality of care remain major challenges, while both infectious and non-communicable diseases are rising (1, 2, 3, 8).

Policy priority
The National Development Strategy 2025-2029 supports the development of a performing and accessible healthcare system through the diversification of the quality services offer and a better governance. Similarly, the Plan National de Développement Sanitaire et Social (PNDSS) targets the strengthening of the sector's governance and financing and development of services (2, 3).

Gender inequalities and marginalization issues
The majority of the healthcare services are concentrated in urban areas, specifically in Dakar. On the contrary, access to healthcare is challenging in rural areas due to the lack of healthcare infrastructure. For instance, the regions of Kédougou, Kaffrine and Sédhiou do not have an hospitals. In addition, women face issues in accessing to healthcare, including linked to financial, geographical accessibility, or obtaining permission to seek care. Finally, poorer households have difficulties baring the costs of care, when services are available (2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

Investment opportunities introduction
Senegal’s healthcare sector offers high-impact investment potential. With a growing population and the unequal distribution of healthcare infrastructure and the quality of medical facilities across the national territory, there is strong demand for investments in health facility upgrades, rural service expansion, and innovative solutions (2,6).

Key bottlenecks introduction
Senegal’s health system struggles with key constraints such as low health spending. Community‑based insurance enrolment remains low and the Universal health coverage is not fully implemented. This limits financial protection and increases households out of pocket expenses, above 80%, limiting access to quality healthcare (2, 3, 5, 7).

Sub Sector

Medical Technology

Development need
Essential drug availability remains a challenge in Senegal, with frequent stockouts and limited local production. Reliance on imports is high, for around 95% of the needs, which contributes to the development of an illicit drug market. Similarly, gaps in the vaccine supply chain, such as lack of adapted storage capacity, affects the vaccines quality and supply (2, 3, 5, 9).

Policy priority
The National Development Strategy aims to strengthen pharmaceutical sovereignty through local production, enhanced regulation, and research. The PNDSS targets the reinforcement of the drug and other essential products availability throughout the healthcare system and the reinforcement of the quality assurance system (2,3).

Gender inequalities and marginalization issues
Person leaving with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are particularly affected by lack of drug availability. Indeed, in Senegal, only 4 out of the 26 essential drugs for HIV are tracked, enabling a regular supply. Similarly, children are also particularly affected by drugs and vaccines unavailability. It has been reported that not all health facilities providing infant immunization services had all the basic vaccines available (5, 10).

Investment opportunities introduction
Structuring investments can be made in drugs, vaccines and other essential medical products production, as Senegal ambitions to meet 30% of its drug needs through local production by 2029. It is the first francophone African country to reach the WHO Maturity Level 3 for drug regulation (3, 9).

Key bottlenecks introduction
Key challenges include lack of quality data, limited staff capacity in quantification and planning, absence of a formal national coordination framework for all the supply chain actors, and no comprehensive national supply plan (2).

Industry

Medical Equipment and Supplies

Pipeline Opportunity

Discover the investment opportunity and its corresponding business model.
Investment Opportunity Area

Production of Rapid Diagnostic Test for human papillomavirus (HPV)

Business Model

Produce rapid diagnostic tests for HPV, based on biomarkers, to improve the screening of cervical cancer by supplying healthcare facilities, mid-wives and doctors (B2B model) and offering flexible payment modalities especially for smaller healthcare facilities or NGOs.

Business Case

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Market Size and Environment

Market Size (USD)
Describes the value in USD of a potential addressable market of the IOA.

< USD 50 million

CAGR
Describes the historical or expected annual growth of revenues in the IOA market.

5% - 10%

Critical IOA Unit
Describes a complementary market sizing measure exemplifying the opportunities with the IOA.

The Government aims at having 50% of women aged between 25 and 69 years old screened by 2029 (14).

Senegal medical device market is estimated to reach USD 24,55 million by 2030 (28).

Senegal's medical device market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.56% from 2025 to 2030 (28).

Indicative Return

ROI
Describes an expected return from the IOA investment over its lifetime.

10% - 15%

ROI is based on a stakeholder experience in the production of rapid diagnostic tests sold to an existing healthcare facility network across several countries including Senegal (12).

Investment Timeframe

Timeframe
Describes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.

Short Term (0–5 years)

Investors return on investment can be as short as less than a year (12).

Ticket Size

Average Ticket Size (USD)
Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.

USD 1 million - USD 10 million

Market Risks & Scale Obstacles

Market - Highly Regulated

Regulatory validation can take up to two years, which might impact the profitability of the business model (13).

To ensure the sustainability of the business model, it is key that governments put in place purchase strategy to support the local production (13).

Impact Case

Read about impact metrics and social and environmental risks of the investment opportunity.

Sustainable Development Need

In Senegal, prevalence of cervical cancer is high with 2,064 new cases and 1,327 deaths in 2022. Cervical cancer presents the highest incidence and mortality rates. However, only 10% of women between 30-49 years old benefited from a screening exam for cervical cancer (2,14,15,16).

A study at the Dalal Jamm hospital showed that 70% of cancer treated were diagnosed at an advanced stage, diminishing the patients chances of survival. Yet, cervical cancer is often caused by a persistent high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection detectable at early stages (14, 15).

For low or middle income countries, the price of HPV diagnostic tests are a barrier to their widespread use (17).

Gender & Marginalisation

In Senegal, women are more affected by cancer than men. In addition, breast and cervical cancers, specific to women, are the most common types of cancer. Cervical cancer affect the social status of women and might isolate them due to societal perceptions (2, 18).

HIV patients have a risk to develop a cervical cancer six times higher than non-affected women, increasing their vulnerability (14).

Most healthcare facilities offering cancer screening services are located in Dakar and Thies, leaving patients in the rest of the territory out of reach (14).

Expected Development Outcome

HPV rapid diagnostic tests enable the early detection of cancer which is key to support a higher survival rate and better recovery chances for the patients. The availability of rapid diagnostic tests will contribute to the Government objective of 70% early detection of cancers (14).

The production of rapid diagnostic tests will support the Government's objective of establishing a cervical cancer screening for 50% of women aged between 25 and 69 years old by 2029, through the scale up of HPV tests, recognized as a high preforming method by WHO (14, 19).

Local production of rapid HPV tests will lower healthcare costs and make screening more accessible nationwide. These tests are faster than the traditional Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) method, allowing more patients to be screened efficiently (12, 18).

Gender & Marginalisation

Producing rapid diagnostic tests will support the Government’s strategy of decentralizing cancer care and help ensure nationwide availability, in line with WHO recommendations for HPV testing in areas with limited access to basic healthcare, such as rural Senegal (14, 16).

More generally, HPV tests enable an reliable and rapid early detection of precancerous lesions and their treatment giving women better recovery chances and lowering their cancer mortality rate. Therefore, developing rapid diagnostic HPV tests contribute to a fairer healthcare system for women (16).

Given that rapid diagnostic tests are faster to perform than the traditional VIA method, it enables to treat more patient in the same amount of time, therefore offering more opportunities to HIV patients to access cervical cancer screening, if they are targeted beneficiaries (18).

Primary SDGs addressed

Good health and well-being (SDG 3)
3 - Good Health and Well-Being

3.4.1 Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease

3.8.1 Coverage of essential health services

Current Value

In 2021, the mortality rate caused by cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease was of 21.4 in 2021 (20).

Senegal presented a universal health coverage service coverage index of 50 in 2021 (20).

Target Value

The Government aims at reducing the cancer mortality to 5,919 by 2029 from 7,893 deaths in 2024 (14).

N/A

Secondary SDGs addressed

Gender Equality (SDG 5)
5 - Gender Equality
Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)
10 - Reduced Inequalities

Directly impacted stakeholders

People

Women benefiting from faster and cheaper cervical cancer screening option increasing early detection and recovery chances, doctors and mid-wives from more rapid and reliable screening methods.

Gender inequality and/or marginalization

Women leaving in remote or rural areas as well as women with HIV benefit from a broader access to cheaper cervical cancer screening options.

Corporates

Laboratories benefit from increased economic activities and private healthcare facilities from additional healthcare services to offer to their patients.

Public sector

Public healthcare facilities benefiting from more affordable HPV tests, the Ministry of Health and Social Action from improved cancer detection and lower mortality rate.

Indirectly impacted stakeholders

People

General population benefiting from better women health as it enables them to contribute to the economy and to take care of their dependents.

Gender inequality and/or marginalization

In general, HPV rapid diagnostic tests will enable better women healthcare services and contribute to reducing women mortality rate.

Corporates

Medical equipment and material producers benefiting from increased market opportunities.

Public sector

The Government benefiting from a healthier population.

Outcome Risks

If not managed properly, the increase in HPV test production and use might increase the environmental risks linked to improper medical waste disposal.

If key components must be imported, shortages or price fluctuations could disrupt production and test supply to healthcare facilities.

Gender inequality and/or marginalization risk: If not specifically targeted rural women and women living with HIV might still face barriers to accessing tests and early diagnosis.

Impact Risks

The cost of the HPV rapid diagnostic test might still be too high for poorest rural households, therefore not improving their access to cervical cancer screening.

Social and cultural norms shaping women’s autonomy, mobility and health-related decision making may reduce the expected impact. Cultural expectations can further restrict women’s ability or willingness to seek healthcare or adopt new practices.

Gender inequality and/or marginalization risk: Without a focus on expanding access to women in rural areas and HIV patients, increased test production may not reach everyone and the most vulnerable.

Impact Classification

B—Benefit Stakeholders

What

Improved women health and decreased mortality rate of cervical cancer through increased early screening.

Who

Women, women in rural and remote areas and women living with HIV.

Risk

Exclusion of rural, remote women, women living with HIV, test's high cost for patients and social constraints could limit usage, increased pollution and supply disruptions are possible.

Contribution

Rapid diagnostic tests for HPV will contribute to the Government objective of reaching 70% of early cancer detection (14).

How Much

A regular cervical cancer screening following WHO recommendations can reduce the risks of advanced cancer by 90% on average in women aged from 35 to 64 years old (21).

Impact Thesis

The production of RDT for HPV supplying healthcare providers enables a widespread cervical cancer screening, early detection and better treatment, benefiting women's health and reducing mortality.

Enabling Environment

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Policy Environment

Stratégie Nationale de Développement 2025-2029: sets the objective of an enhanced fight against non-communicable diseases, including through the upgrade of medical equipment, facilities, and services (3).

Plan National de Développement Sanitaire et Social 2019-1018: aims to improve the prevention and treatment of gynecologic cancers, including cervical cancer, to enhance maternal health, while also strengthening early detection and prevention of non-communicable diseases (2).

Plan National de Lutte contre le Cancer 2025-2029: aims at reducing cancer mortality of 25% by 2029 through equitable access to cancer prevention, early detection and treatment services. It highlight early detection as a strategic objective (14).

Financial Environment

Financial incentives: FONSIS offers investment support to projects in the fields of healthcare and pharmaceuticals with minority participation (private equity) through his funds and technical assistance to SMEs for project bankability. It supported an injectable solution production factory (12, 24).

Fiscal incentives: The new Investment Code grants VAT suspension and refund (12–24 months), plus tariff exemptions for 3 years in Dakar/Thies and 5 years elsewhere for SME investments over USD 26,600. Strategic projects may receive additional government-negotiated benefits (25).

Fiscal incentives: Investments in Special Economic Zones benefit from duties and tax exemptions on production equipment for 3 years, VAT suspension on goods and services linked to production and tax credit of 40% on investment (26).

Other incentives: Through the African Epidemic Resilience Center (CARE) and MADIBA training programs, the Institute Pasteur de Dakar is preparing the next generation of biomedical leaders in Africa (13).

Regulatory Environment

Loi n°2023-06 du 13 juin 2023 relative aux médicaments, aux autres produits de santé et à la pharmacie: sets that the commercialization of in vitro diagnostic medical device is a monopoly of pharmacopeia and requires the activities to be led by a pharmacist holding a recognized degree (22).

Decret n°2023-2419 du 27 decembre 2023: sets that the production of medical devices, including for diagnostic tests, should be authorized by the Ministry of Health, the license granted by the pharmaceutical regulatory authority for 5 years (renewable) and sets the standards for device (23).

Marketplace Participants

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Private Sector

Askcare, DIATROPIX, Meditechs, Sénégalaise des Systèmes Médicaux (SSM), MN Distribution SARL.

Government

Ministry of Health and Social Action, Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.

Multilaterals

World Bank, World Health Organization, Unitaid.

Non-Profit

Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), IRD, Ligue contre le cancer Senegal.

Target Locations

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country static map
urban

Senegal: Dakar

The National Land Use and Territorial Development Plan aims at making of Dakar a medical hub for research and innovation, therefore representing a good opportunity to establish a rapid diagnostic test production factory (27).

Senegal: Nord

Senegal: Centre

Senegal: Sud

References

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