By Donald Nyarota.
MUTARE (News Of The South) – Government has taken great strides in decentralization of Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) of HIV by opening two sate of the art EID DNA testing in two provinces.
Manicaland and Matebeland provinces, which will service three additional provinces, received these new laboratories at a time when HIV prevalence is still soaring officials say.
Speaking on behalf of Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa, Provincial Medical Director (PMD), Dr Patron Mafaune said decentralization of HIV DNA PCR testing was a necessity to avoid unnecessary HIV mortality.
Dr Parerenyatwa also revealed that the new laboratories will drastically reduce the long turn over period for results, as well as ease burden.
“The transportation system of specimens from peripheral sites to the reference laboratory has been a challenge, the turnaround time at the national microbiology reference laboratory has been reduced to less than 10 days where before decentralization it was 8-12 weeks ,”he said adding that currently for both Mutare and Mpilo hospital the turnaround time of results is 4 days.
The HIV DNA PCR testing has now been successful decentralized to Mutare Provincial Hospital since April 2014 serving Manicaland and Masvingo provinces and Mpilo Central hospital since September 2014 serving Matebeland North and south provinces including the city of Bulawayo.
The total samples that have been processed from April 2014 to 30 April in Mutare are 10175 and specimens processed from Mpilo laboratory from September to date are 5222.
Dr Parirenyatwa said that the country continues to experience a high prevalence of HIV infections in the general population and Antenatal care (ANC) sero prevalence.
“Zimbabwe continues to experience a high prevalence of HIV infections with an HIV prevalence of 15 percent in the general population and an ANC sero prevalence of 16,1percent.
“In 2009, it was estimated that 15 000 babies were newly infected with HIV with more than 90 percent of these babies acquiring HIV infection through mother to child transmission,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
Dr Parirenyatwa added that the introduction of Option B+ by the Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services has seen a decline in new HIV cases.
“Out of a total of 1643 health care facilities countrywide, 1560 ANC sites provide prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services,” he said.
Speaking at the same event Country Co-coordinator for Presidential Emergency Plan for Aids relief (PEPFAR) Mr. Mark Troger said that his organization has pledged 95 million dollars towards the response to HIV /AIDS in Zimbabwe for 2015 alone.
Similar amounts have been released by the US through PEPFAR since 2012 towards the target of an HIV free generation.
“Both the U.S and Zimbabwe governments are encouraged by strengthening of health systems in Zimbabwe and will continue to collaborate in the response to HIV /AIDS in the country.
PEPFAR has pledged $95 million towards the response to HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe for 2015 alone,” said Troger.
The laboratory is part of two such centers, the other based at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo, which will see decentralization of HIV testing services from Harare.
Troger said the U.S. was committed, through belief in long standing relationships, to strengthening health systems in Zimbabwe in response to HIV/AIDS.
“Both the U.S. and Zimbabwe governments are encouraged by the strengthening of health systems in Zimbabwe and will continue to collaborate in response to HIV/AIDS in the country.
“PEPFAR has pledged $95 million towards the response to HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe for 2015 alone.
“I believe that through our strong, long- standing partnerships and under the able leadership of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe can and will make even greater strides towards sustainable health interventions in responding to HIV and AIDS,” he said.
The twin projects, which saw refurbishment and rehabilitation of two HIV testing laboratories were sponsored to the tune $1.7 million.
Health officials said decentralization of laboratory services will have a positive impact at institutional levels in prevention and management of mother to child transmission of HIV.
Director of Laboratory Services in the ministry of health Dr Douglas Magwanya said there has been a gradual increase of laboratory services since the launch of the service in 2007, leading to the necessity of decentralization.
“EID testing for HIV in exposed babies has previously been taking place at the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory in Harare since 2007.
“The laboratory services directorate has seen a notable increase of tests carried out from 377 test in 2007 from 12 sites to 50 438 tests in 2014 from 1585 sites.
“The transportation of specimens from peripheral sites to the reference laboratory has been a challenge including the long turnaround time for results.
“There was therefore a need to decentralize HIV DNA PCR testing to Matebeleland Province and Manicaland in order to avert unnecessary HIV-related mortality,” he said.
The HIV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is one way of conclusively testing for HIV from children exposed to HIV positive mothers as they are born with antibodies.
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