Emerging Infectious Diseases (Nov 2022)

Contribution of PEPFAR-Supported HIV and TB Molecular Diagnostic Networks to COVID-19 Testing Preparedness in 16 Countries

  • Erin Rottinghaus Romano,
  • Katrina Sleeman,
  • Patricia Hall-Eidson,
  • Clement Zeh,
  • Ravikiran Bhairavabhotla,
  • Guoqing Zhang,
  • Amitabh Adhikari,
  • George Alemnji,
  • Yolanda Rebello Cardo,
  • Ana Pinheiro,
  • Barbara Pocongo,
  • Laura T. Eno,
  • Judith D. Shang,
  • Clement B. Ndongmo,
  • Hilda Rosario,
  • Orquidea Moreno,
  • Lucia Aurora De La Cruz De León,
  • Peter Fonjungo,
  • Constantin Kabwe,
  • Steve Ahuke-Mundeke,
  • Dan Gama,
  • Sindisiwe Dlamini,
  • Gugu Maphalala,
  • Tefsay Abreha,
  • Anne Purfield,
  • Yared Tedla Gebrehiwot,
  • Daniel Melese Desalegn,
  • Frank Basiye,
  • Jane Mwangi,
  • Nancy Bowen,
  • Yohannes Mengistu,
  • Shirley Lecher,
  • Elizabeth Kampira,
  • Muluken Kaba,
  • Joseph Bitilinyu-Bangoh,
  • Gillian Masamha,
  • Sofia Omar Viegas,
  • R. Suzanne Beard,
  • Gerhard van Rooyen,
  • Andreas N. Shiningavamwe,
  • McPaul I.J,
  • Nnaemeka C. Iriemenam,
  • Nwando Mba,
  • Catherine Okoi,
  • Joel Katoro,
  • Dennis L Kenyi,
  • Bior K. Bior,
  • Christina Mwangi,
  • Susan Nabadda,
  • Pontiano Kaleebu,
  • Samuel L. Yingst,
  • Prisca Chikwanda,
  • Levi Veri,
  • Raivi Simbi,
  • Heather Alexander

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2813.220789
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 28, no. 13
pp. 59 – 68

Abstract

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The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) supports molecular HIV and tuberculosis diagnostic networks and information management systems in low- and middle-income countries. We describe how national programs leveraged these PEPFAR-supported laboratory resources for SARS-CoV-2 testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sent a spreadsheet template consisting of 46 indicators for assessing the use of PEPFAR-supported diagnostic networks for COVID-19 pandemic response activities during April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, to 27 PEPFAR-supported countries or regions. A total of 109 PEPFAR-supported centralized HIV viral load and early infant diagnosis laboratories and 138 decentralized HIV and TB sites reported performing SARS-CoV-2 testing in 16 countries. Together, these sites contributed to >3.4 million SARS-CoV-2 tests during the 1-year period. Our findings illustrate that PEPFAR-supported diagnostic networks provided a wide range of resources to respond to emergency COVID-19 diagnostic testing in 16 low- and middle-income countries.

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