The World Health Organization African Region external quality assessment scheme for anti-HIV serology

A regional external quality assessment scheme (REQAS) for anti-HIV serology aimed to objectively assess reliability and quality of HIV testing processes in the African region. This involved the distribution of proficiency testing (PT) panels to participating laboratories from 2002 to 2010. During the survey period; this included 16 distributions of PT panels to 49 laboratories in 30 countries; and the overall average score during the nine-year survey period was 98.9; with a frequency of accurate detection; of anti-HIV-1 and/or anti-HIV-2 antibodies in the PT panels; ranging from 93 to 100. Problems highlighted included lack of human resources and frequent stock outs of test kits; reagents and consumables for routine HIV testing. The design of the REQAS allowed appraisal of the reliability of anti-HIV serological testing methods utilised by laboratories for clinical assessment of patients and/or surveillance programmes. The REQAS was able to demonstrate that laboratories participating in the REQAS performed well and sustained their participation in the scheme. This bodes well for clinical diagnosis; surveillance and training activities at these reference laboratories

Clinical audit in general practice

The subject of Audit has been increasingly recognized as an important topic in the medical profession. Audit had been officially introduced in the United Kingdom in the late 1985. It is recognized as a tool for measuring quality and improvements. This is a review article summarizing the definition, aims, and steps of audit, how to choose a topic, the audit cycle and how to implement change, with final recommendations for trainees and physicians to facilitate the process of auditing in their medical career

Le cancer de l'ovaire aux Cliniques universitaires de Kinshasa : profil anatomo-clinique et epidemiologique

Il s'agit d'une etude retrospective sur les cas de cancer ovarien histologiquement prouves; observes dans le Service de Gynecologie des Cliniques universitaires de Kinshasa sur une periode de 30 ans ( de janvier 64 a decembre 94). Il ressort de cette etude que: le cancer de l'ovaire est une tumeur frequente dans notre milieu; occupant la 2eme place (10 pour cent) apres le cancer du col uterin (71 pour cent). Les tumeurs epitheliales sont les types histologiques les plus frequemment rencontres (72 pour cent) et l'adenocarcinome ovarien est leur chef de file. Le cancer de l'ovaire s'observe a tout age avec une predilection pour les patientes agees de 20 a 39 ans; la frequence singuliere en dessous de 20 ans semble etre une particularite locale. L'approche therapeutique pose de serieuses difficultes par manque d'infrastructures adequates et de standardisation du traitement