By providing viral load test results in less than 70 minutes, this life-changing technology allows patients to get tested and treated in the same visit and then get back to leading their best life.<\/p>\n
Viral load tests measure the amount of HIV copies in the blood of a patient, and determine the type of Anti-Retroviral Treatment that will be effective.<\/p>\n
Apart from making easing viral load tests and making results available shortly , the new technology is well to be usable by personnel that are not laboratory-trained in facilities that are not typical laboratory environments.<\/p>\n
Dr Kuku Appiah, the Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs – Abbot Rapid Diagnostics has told IGIHE that the new technology will allow patients to get tested and treated at the same time. <\/p>\n
He revealed this last week on his visit to Rwanda during discussions with health sector officials to assess whether the technology can be used locally. <\/p>\n
m-PIMA\u2122 HIV-1\/2 VL was licensed by World Health Organization (WHO) to be used as the first technology to diagnose HIV loads timely from the time of infection.<\/p>\n
According to Dr Kuku; \u201cThe system is built in a way that the test can be conducted at a health post from rural communities or closer to people in need of such services. <\/p>\n
Before, it would require a laboratory but this technology will decentralize health services without necessity of experts. m-Pima can be used by any trained individual without advanced laboratory tests skills.\u201d <\/p>\n
The tool used for diagnostics has a built-in battery that it can work in the absence of electricity. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs per WHO instructions, a person with over HIV\/AIDS 1000copies\/ml needs to change medicaments because health is not in proper conditions. This can only be achieved if there is capability to test HIV\/AIDS loads. This is the uniqueness of the technology,\u201d said Dr Kuku. <\/p>\n
Rwanda already uses Abott services and is believed to be among countries with willingness to take advantage of new health care services technologies.<\/p>\n
To provide the most effective HIV treatment and care, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that everyone receiving ART undergoes a viral load test at 6 months and 12 months, and annually thereafter, if the individual is stable on ART. Viral load testing is the gold standard for monitoring ART treatment failure.<\/p>\n
The m-PIMA HIV-1\/2 VL joins Abbott\u2019s comprehensive portfolio of diagnostic solutions that span the entire HIV cascade of care, serving more than 120 countries globally and all 55 countries on the African continent.<\/p>\n
Abbott has a long and deep heritage in HIV diagnostics, having introduced the world\u2019s first HIV test in 1985. With a leading set of solutions for screening, monitoring, management and connectivity \u2013 from the lab to the point of care, Abbott is providing critical tools to healthcare providers, especially in resource-limited settings.
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