MDR-TB Treatment & Prevention
Laboratory and Diagnostics: Accreditation, TB/HIV, Rapid tests, Training materials
Dear colleagues,
Please consider posting in our panel discussion on building capacity for
diagnostics (here:
http://www.ghdonline.org/diagnostics-panel/discussion/building-capacity-for-d...)
especially on the following TB/Diagnostics/Lab questions. Today is the last
day! Thank you in advance, Sophie
- What tools/software/system do you use to manage lab data and for supply
management/ordering? For instance, how can you estimate the amount of
reagents you need to order? Are there standard estimates available or that
you could share for how much you need per test per disease?
- How are lab professionals trained in your country? What is the standard
training and is there continuing professional development?
- What is your experience setting up lab quality management systems or
with accreditation processes?
- Experience with TB-LAM test for hiv infected patients?
- Someone noted the main message from the new PEPFAR evaluation report:
“the lack of diagnostic capabilities and capacity, and the rarity of
integrated TB/HIV facilities.” Thoughts?
- What is the potential impact on laboratories – both short and long-term –
of GeneXpert MTB/RIF, especially as it relates to DST.?
- What are the most important issues faced by laboratories? Quality
assurance? Rapid molecular tests? solid and liquid media cultures and F&SL
DST? Other?
- What about developing cost-effective algorithm to have pathogen
confirmation as fast and complete as possible?
- What are your thoughts on this comment: “Overall, fluorescence
microscopy, procedures related to sputum digestion, growth based methods
and Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques (NAATs) have demonstrated a
superior performance compared to the conventional microscopy in
experimental settings. However, their implementation under programmes
conditions is accompanied by a range of technical and logistical
requirements posing obstacles in most HBCs.”
Ellen Munemo
On laboratory accreditation, we in Zimbabwe are using the WHO SLMTA/SLIPTA
expand commentprocess. In the TB lab we have started using the GLI tool since it looks at
all the TB culture aspects. However this process requires committment of
both management and staff as a lot of resources are needed. If there is no
committment of management then the whole process will not work. The staff
need to be motivated by mostly the seriousness of their managers. With
accreditation, you have to be prepared to work beyond normal hours and take
work home. You need to take one step at a time and assess yourself at each
stage. All members of staff should be involved. We say quality is as strong
as the weakest link. The weakest link can result in you failing to achieve
your goal. Team work is key to achieving your goals in QMS. Each team
member is very important and should be given a chance to express themself.
Value every team members opinion as failure to do so can result in
negative attitudes
On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 6:39 PM, GHDonline (Sophie Beauvais) <
> wrote:
>
> Sophie Beauvais added a new discussion to ...
1:03 PM, 1 Mar 2013 | Permalink
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