Investigating the Feasibility of a Multi-disciplinary Point-of-Care Laboratory in an Active HIV Treatment Clinic and Determining the Impact of Point-of-Care Testing on Patient Outcome

Wendy Stevens of the National Health Laboratory Service and the University of Witwatersrand will lead a multi­ disciplinary team to assess the safety, cost effectiveness and impact on clinical outcome of implementing point­of care testing for HIV and tuberculosis in several different clinical settings in South Africa. The aim is to create a sustainable vehicle for future point­of­care evaluation and expansion and to provide sufficient information to inform national policy decisions, bearing in mind the need for equity, affordability and accessibility.