Biolab, IDH’s Jordanian subsidiary, selected as preferred bidder to operate testing stations in Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport
(Cairo and London) — Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (“IDH,” “the Company” or “the Group”), a leading consumer healthcare company with operations in Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and Nigeria, announces that Biolab, IDH’s Jordanian subsidiary, has been selected as the preferred bidder by Airport International Group, the operator of Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), to operate testing stations in QAIA’s departure and arrival areas primarily dedicated to PCR testing for Covid-19.
The main focus of the testing stations will be to offer PCR testing for Covid-19 to passengers arriving in Jordan, as well as additional diagnostic tests to patients including rapid PCR testing for Covid-19 for departing passengers and other, more generic diagnostic tests. The agreement came into effect on 1 August 2021.
Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Amid Abdelnour, Biolab’s founder and CEO, said: “We are proud to have been selected as the preferred bidder by Airport International Group which will enable Biolab to continue playing a frontline role in the country’s fight against the pandemic. In parallel, this will allow us to expand our patient base and reach across new segments of the population in turn driving further growth across our operations. This is also a testament to the strong reputation for high quality and affordability offered by Biolab, which in the past two decades has grown to become a household name in Jordan’s diagnostics industry.”
Nicolas Claude, CEO of Airport International Group, commented: “We are pleased to be partnering with Biolab, which is a reputable Jordanian diagnostic tests provider. As the aviation industry works to recover from the severe repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, presenting passengers with access to reliable, internationally accredited PCR testing for the coronavirus is vital. By providing testing stations at both Arrivals and Departures, we are actively prioritising the health and safety of our passengers and employees, whilst maintaining a positive travel experience and bolstering traffic via Queen Alia International Airport.”
IDH CEO Dr. Hend El Sherbini, added: “I am delighted with Biolab’s ability to secure this landmark partnership, which is only the latest in a series of agreements signed by IDH over the last twelve months to offer Covid-19-related tests to travellers. This is a necessary aspect to safeguard the health of passengers and crew members while supporting a return to regular international travel across the region. Looking ahead, our main priority across both Egypt and Jordan remains helping local authorities combat the spread of Covid-19, and in the coming months we will look for new opportunities to offer our Covid-19-related services to a growing number of patients across both countries.”
Established in 2001 by Dr. Amid Abdelnour and acquired by IDH in 2011, Biolab currently operates 20 branches across the country offering a complete range of laboratory and diagnostic services to more than half a million patients each year. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Biolab has performed more than 600 thousand PCR and Antibody tests, playing an important role in combatting the spread of the virus in Jordan. In 2020, the Group’s Jordanian operations were the second largest contributor to IDH’s consolidated revenue with a share of 15.4% up from the 11.5% contribution made in 2019. Queen Alia International Airport is Jordan’s main and largest airport, and in just the first six months of 2021 it welcomed over 1.2 million passengers.