Govt to decentralise HIV diagnosis for infants

GOVERNMENT, in partnership with Diagnostics for the Real World, has started training laboratory technicians selected from different primary healthcare facilities to conduct early infant diagnosis of HIV and viral load testing using newly-procured machines.

The four-day training, which started yesterday in Harare, will see about 50 laboratory technicians receiving skills on how to use the machines for both viral load testing and infant diagnosis, leading to implementation of the project within the next month.

Government recently procured 100 machines, which will soon be installed in selected districts soon after the training of the technicians.

Deputy director for laboratory services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Mr Raiva Simbi said the new machines were expected to facilitate quick diagnosis of infants exposed to HIV, with a view to initiate early treatment. Mr Simbi said previously, it would take parents from districts at least three months before they got results of their children’s status, a situation that delayed commencement of treatment of HIV positive infants.

“Previously, technicians would take samples from parents upon giving birth, send these samples to the National Reference Laboratory here in Harare,” he said.

“The samples would then be booked for testing among other samples from across the country.”

Mr Simbi said on a monthly basis, the National Laboratory would handle at least 8 000 samples of blood tests.

“The Samba machines will go a long way in diagnosing infants born to HIV positive mothers, leading to earlier commencement on treatment in line with the new Government policy on test and treat, thereby reducing infant mortality,” said