Rwanda towards the end of last week registered yet another milestone in the ongoing fight against the global pandemic Covid-19, which has greatly destabilised the global order by unimaginable proportions. The latest novelty is the introduction of a pilot project where sniffer dogs are being used to test Covid-19, an innovation that will give a major boost not only to the fight against the virus but also bring about more convenience in the testing exercise. The technique is being piloted in Finland, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates and Rwanda. How this works is that people will be tested for Covid-19 without the collection of a swab from one’s nostril or mouth, rather a canine will detect the infection by scenting bodily discharges such as sweat. It will be contactless. Already, five sniffer dogs have been deployed at Kigali International Airport and available research shows that the accuracy by the canines to detect the virus is close to that of a PCR test – the premier globally acceptable method. The method will also deliver results in a short period of time, besides the dogs being able to process as many samples compared to ordinary testing techniques. The development further shows the length at which the government will go to ensure the safety of citizens, those who travel to Rwanda, or even those that transit through the country. Already, the country has won global commendations for her concerted effort to keep the virus at bay; be it the massive testing drive – cumulatively, the country has tested close to 1.5 million people which is over 12 per cent of the whole population – or even laying a solid infrastructure to roll out vaccines. The latter has earned Rwanda the confidence of the International Olympics Committee where the country was selected as one of the two hubs globally where athletes bound for Japan, the venue of this year’s Olympic Games, can get their jabs. All these efforts by the government will however go to waste if Rwandans and those living in the country decide to let their guard down in regards to implementing measures in place to keep the virus at bay. It is a challenge for all of us to make this a personal fight; in our families, in the workplace, and the communities where we live. Together we shall defeat the pandemic.
