A healthcare startup from Sydney has been awarded a $2.6 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Atomo Diagnostics has designed products for professional use and self-testing. The Startup created AtomoRapid HIV and AtomoRapid Malaria; both give fast and accurate results.
Thanks to the new grant, Atomo Diagnostics can start developing an affordable and simple HIV rapid diagnostic test, which can be used in developing poor countries affected by the HIV problem. The startup is also going to look for partners like researchers, health workers, and users themselves, to create the best product that will meet all needs.
According to the World Health Organisation, over 120 million HIV rapid diagnostic tests are used in resource-poor countries every year. This number is likely to rise, since the WHOs’ goal is to ensure that 90 percent of HIV-positive people will know their status by 2020.
The grant is a great support for the Startup; it is also, for sure, a well-deserved award. We need more companies like Atomo Diagnostics, which make not only a change in tech but also a possible major milestone for global problems and healthcare.
