Why was the Toolkit developed?
The idea for this Toolkit emerged as more and more countries began to introduce and scale up HIV POC technologies as a complement to conventional laboratory-based diagnostics. Countries identified a need for tools to support POC scale up, and partners also recognized the need for a common harmonized resource of POC tools that could be used across country contexts. The POC Toolkit will grow and develop over time as new tools to support countries become available.
Who is the Toolkit for?
The Toolkit is primarily intended for country program managers. Other stakeholders including policy makers, implementing partners, donors, procurement and logistics personnel, and training and quality assurance personnel may also find this Toolkit useful.
How was the Toolkit developed?
The Toolkit was developed through a joint inter-agency consensus building and review process initiated in November 2016. Partners and stakeholders who contributed to the development of the Toolkit include the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy (OGAC), Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine/International Diagnostics Centre (LSHTM/IDC), International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP), Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF), Solthis, Unitaid, UNICEF, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Are there other useful resources available for countries to learn from?
Yes. Although not specific to POC technologies, a group of partners and stakeholders have identified and developed tools that would assist programs in scaling up HIV viral load testing.
The HIV Viral Load Scale up Tools are available online through the African Society for Laboratory Medicine.
How can you provide feedback on the Toolkit?
To provide feedback on this Toolkit or to share tools from your country context, contact Alex Costa at UNICEF (alecosta@unicef.org).