The Ministry of Health (MoH) has received a genome sequencing machine with other equipment and materials donated by IDG Capital (IDG). This contribution aims to support Brunei Darussalam in its fight against COVID-19 and was handed over by the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah to the Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar.
The handover took place at the Clinical Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory For Infectious Disease, Department of Laboratory Services in Kg. Bukit Bendira, Tutong. Also present were the Permanent Secretary at MoH, Awang Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin and Acting Managing Director of Brunei Investment Agency, Haji Sofian bin Mohammad Jani.
The donation consists of a genetic sequencer DNBSEQ-G50, MegaBOLT bioinformatics analysis workstation, ATOPlex SARS-CoV-2 software, and sequencing reaction kits, reagent kits, circularization kits, and RNA prep sets. The contribution from senior partners of IDG is made possible through its close partnership with MGI Tech. Co. Ltd (MGI) with assistance from Brunei’s national carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines. The shipment was brought on board the 24th August 2021 via Royal Brunei Airlines and arrived in Brunei on the same day.
The equipment strengthens MoH’s capabilities in containing the COVID-19 pandemic by providing technology to support the sequencing of COVID-19 positive samples with the capacity to sequence up to 96 samples per run and detect COVID-19 mutation variants within two days. Located at the Clinical Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory For Infectious Disease, Department of Laboratory Services in Kg. Bukit Bendira, Tutong District, the sequencing machine will be operational in the near-term.
Manufactured by MGI, a leading producer of clinical high-throughput gene sequencers and a leading company in the global life science and technology instrument industry, MGI’s equipment and products have been widely used worldwide to test the COVID-19 virus and analyze its variations. The company was founded in 2016 and operates in more than 50 countries and regions, serving more than 1,000 customers.
IDG is a strategic investment partner of the Brunei Investment Agency. It is a leading private equity investment firm that focuses on growing extraordinary businesses and has been a pioneer in the People’s Republic of China since 1993. Throughout its history, IDG has funded the growth of over 1,000 companies in the People’ Republic of China and around the world, where MGI is one its portfolio companies.
