ABSTRACT
The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) supports molecular HIV and tuberculosis diagnostic networks and information management systems in low- and middle-income countries. We describe how national programs leveraged these PEPFAR-supported laboratory resources for SARS-CoV-2 testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sent a spreadsheet template consisting of 46 indicators for assessing the use of PEPFAR-supported diagnostic networks for COVID-19 pandemic response activities during April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, to 27 PEPFAR-supported countries or regions. A total of 109 PEPFAR-supported centralized HIV viral load and early infant diagnosis laboratories and 138 decentralized HIV and TB sites reported performing SARS-CoV-2 testing in 16 countries. Together, these sites contributed to >3.4 million SARS-CoV-2 tests during the 1-year period. Our findings illustrate that PEPFAR-supported diagnostic networks provided a wide range of resources to respond to emergency COVID-19 diagnostic testing in 16 low- and middle-income countries.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , HIV Infections , Humans , COVID-19 Testing , Pathology, Molecular , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , COVID-19/diagnosisABSTRACT
Deployment of molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2 in resource-limited settings is challenging. Scale-up of molecular had to be conducted with a laboratory system strengthening approach that emphasize laboratory integration. National reference laboratories play a central role. In Malawi the molecular testing was underpinned by existing pathogen control programs for human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis that use Abbott and GeneXpert machines and reagents. Despite this, the impact on these programs was well managed. Antigen testing increased access to testing. Pooled testing and direct-to-polymerase chain reaction methods have the potential to save costs and further increase access to molecular tests.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , HIV Infections , COVID-19/diagnosis , Humans , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques , Polymerase Chain Reaction , SARS-CoV-2/geneticsABSTRACT
Deployment of molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2 in resource-limited settings is challenging. Scale-up of molecular had to be conducted with a laboratory system strengthening approach that emphasize laboratory integration. National reference laboratories play a central role. In Malawi the molecular testing was underpinned by existing pathogen control programs for human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis that use Abbott and GeneXpert machines and reagents. Despite this, the impact on these programs was well managed. Antigen testing increased access to testing. Pooled testing and direct-to-polymerase chain reaction methods have the potential to save costs and further increase access to molecular tests.