Testers' compliance to the quality standards of HIV rapid testing services in Primary Health Care Facilities in Makete District, Tanzania

Background: HIV rapid testing services is one among key interventions in the controlling of HIV/AIDS. Despite availability of quality standards, the quality of HIV rapid testing services remains questionable since non-laboratory testers are allowed to conduct testing while they are not specialized in providing testing services. Objective: To evaluate the compliance to the quality standards of HIV rapid testing services provided by non-laboratory testers in Makete District, Tanzania Methods: An explanatory descriptive study employing quantitative approach of data collection was used. An observation of 23 non-laboratory testers performing HIV rapid tests, observation of HIV testing points and documents review was done in 23 testing points to collect data. Data were analyzed using a programmed excel sheet and a three-point scale was used to determine the level of compliance to quality standards. Results: Analysis shows that out of 23 testing points visited, the level of compliance to quality standards was lower for 22 (95.6%) testing points and moderate in 1 (4.4%) testing point. None of the testing point was highly complied to quality standards for HIV rapid testing services. Conclusion: The quality of HIV rapid testing services provided by non-laboratory testers is below the established quality standards for HIV rapid testing services.

Addressing the Human Resource for Health Crisis in Tanzania: the Lost in Transition Syndrome

Tanzania is experiencing a serious Human Resource for Health (HRH) crisis. Shortages are 87.5 and 67 in private and public hospitals; respectively. Mal-distribution and brain drain compound the shortage. The objective of this study was to improve knowledge on the HRH status in Tanzania by analyzing what happens to the number of medical doctors (MD) and doctor of dental surgery (DDS) degree graduates during the transition period from graduation; internship to appointment. We analyzed secondary data to get the number of MDs and DDS; who graduated from 2001 to 2010; the number registered for internship from 2005 to 2010 and the number allowed for recruitment by government permits from 2006 to 2010. Self administered questionnaires were provided to 91 MDs and DDS who were pursuing postgraduate studies at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences during this study who went through the graduation-internship-appointment (GIA) period to get the insight of the challenges surrounding the MDs and DDS during the GIA period. From 2001 to 2010 a total of 2;248 medical doctors and 198 dental surgeons graduated from five local training institutions and abroad. From 2005 to 2010 a total of 1691 (97.13) and 186 (126.53) of all graduates in MD and DDS; respectively; registered for internship. The 2007/2008 recruitment permit allowed only 37.7 (80/218) and 25.07/27) of the MDs and DDS graduated in 2006; respectively. The 2009/2010 recruitment permit allowed 265 MDs (85.48) out of 310 graduates of 2008. In 2010/2011 permission for MDs was 57.58 (190/ 330) of graduates of 2009 and in 2011/2012 permission for MDs was for 61.03 ((249/408) graduates of 2010. From this analysis the recruitment permits in 2007/2008; 2009/2010; 2010/2011 1nd 2011/2012 could not offer permission for employment of 482 (38.10) of all MDs graduated in the subsequent years. Major challenges associated with the GIA period included place of accommodation; allowance (for internship) or salary delay (for first appointment); difficulty working environment; limited carrier opportunities and concern for job security. The failure to enforce mandatory registration for internship and failure to absorb all produced MDs and DDS results to loss of a substantial number of these graduates during the graduation-internshipappointment period. To solve this problem; it is recommended to establish better human resource for health management system