A pocket-sized lab

• 500-backed Prenetics, together with property conglomerate New World Development (NWD), have launched Circle HealthPod. It is dubbed ‘the world’s most advanced at-home COVID-19 test’.
• The HealthPod is a pocket-sized device that provides 96% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity in detecting COVID-19. It uses a pain-free lower nasal swab, with results sent to the smartphone or displayed directly on the device in just 20 minutes.
• The HealthPod is also re-usable, offering convenience and the ability to test frequently. NWD has placed an initial order of 10,000 HealthPods.
• Danny Yeung, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Prenetics, said, “The Circle HealthPod is the first of its kind and we believe it will change how consumers consume healthcare. Our mission at Prenetics has always been to decentralize healthcare and today’s announcement with NWD marks a significant milestone.”
• Read the full media release here.

Save time to save lives

• 500-backed big data startup Zenysis Technologies has stepped into Mozambique for its latest venture. It will work with the government to plan and implement immunization programs to ensure no one is left behind.
• This move follows its work in Brazil, Pakistan, South Africa, Zambia, Benin, Ethiopia, and Rwanda, as well as the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, which operates globally. Thanks to Zenysis’ work, one team found that malaria data analysis took only minutes instead of the typical two days.
• In Mozambique, Zenysis will integrate census, surveillance, and health data into a single platform. The startup will also train health professionals to analyze and utilize these data to strengthen routine vaccination and emergency response programs, including the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
• This effort is part of what Zenysis calls a “data-use culture” which it instills in its partner governments. The company says this is critical to ensure that decision-makers make use of the data.
• Read the full story here.

A wealth of data

• 500-backed digital health startup Naluri has published insights gained from amassing Malaysia’s largest mental health dataset from over 20,000 working adults. Its article highlights the need for early intervention when it comes to mental wellbeing.
• The dataset, collected over 24 months, has shown examples of significant deterioration in mental health, even in low-risk cases.
• The startup said there is also a need to cater to the wider segment of the population, specifically individuals who may not currently be experiencing any symptoms or only mild to moderate symptoms of psychological distress.
• According to Naluri, it is committed to democratizing access to anonymized data in the interest of advancing the collective study, support of, and destigmatization of mental health.
• Read the full report here.