Remote access to TB and HIV testing in South Africa

A new mobile medical laboratory in South Africa has increased access to quality diagnostic testing for patients in remote areas.

The German-built mobile clinical laboratory has the ability to perform high complexity testing, and could become a new model for diagnostic testing for other developing countries.

The shortened waiting times for results will reduce the cost and time involved in having couriers transport specimens to the region’s reference laboratory, according to the National Health Laboratory Service. Test results that often took up to several days are now available to clinicians in just one to 12 hours.

Tests performed at the mobile medical lab include HIV rapid tests, TB, complete blood count (CBC), cholesterol, blood glucose, liver functions, urea, and electrolytes. In a four-month period, the lab processed more than 2,900 specimens, which is expected to increase in the future.

Sagie Pillay, MBA, CEO of NHLS, commented in AllAfrica: “(Patients) can now access a variety of pathology tests without travelling long distances.”

“The rural communities are really the ones who have benefitted from this initiative as medical facilities can now diagnose faster which improves effective treatment to these patients.”

Posted by Fiona Griffiths