On January 24, Belgian General Brigadierl Marc Ongena and the CEO of Praesens Care, Mr. Vidal, signed a collaboration agreement for the validation of a new generation of mobile laboratories (BIONEAR). 5 IVECO Daily 4x4 (70S15E3WX) set up as mobile laboratories will play a key role in a better and faster response to biological threats in Africa.

As part of a new partnership between Belgian Defense and Praesens Care, HMRA lab technicians carry out all kinds of tests every day to validate the operation and hardware of the new generation of BIONEAR. Praesens Care is responsible for the equipment of the IVECO Daily mobile laboratory (sold by IVECO Garage Verstraeten dealer in Eppegem) and provides the know-how of a clinical biologist and a quality manager.

Detecting and combating epidemics in Africa
Under the project name “LABPLUS AFRIKA”, the IVECO Daily mobile laboratories will soon leave for Africa, where will be deployed in hard-to-reach areas in Kenya. There, it will be part of a fleet of mobile laboratory platforms intended to detect, combat and prevent future epidemics. In addition, local partners, such as academic institutions, will be trained on site so that they can eventually manage the laboratory themselves. A copy has already been used in Senegal, it was deployed in Touba, the second most major city in the country. It has detected 10% of cases of covid in the country.

An important collaboration for Defense
“Such a mobile laboratory is also interesting for military purposes,” says General Ongena. “For example, in the event of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) warfare. It's important, in a crisis situation, to know who you can work with. In addition, Praesens Care has already made it known that it is willing to cooperate in future exercises” concludes the general.