Objective: To prevent blood transfusion-acquired HIV infection with a decentralized approach to HIV screening of blood donors, using an instrument-free rapid test.
Setting: Shaba province, Zaire (496,877 km2).
Methods: The programme consisted of training health-care workers, distribution of a rapid HIV-antibody test (DuPont's HIVCHEK) for screening of all blood donations, and quality control of testing by a regional reference centre.
Results: Over a 2-year period, 11,940 rapid tests were distributed to 37 hospitals, covering 75% of all hospital beds outside the copper mine's health system in Shaba. Eighty-five per cent of the tests were used to screen blood donors (5.4% positive test rate) and 13% to test patients (39.7% positive test rate). At least 265 cases of HIV-positive blood donation were prevented, at an estimated cost of 137-279 ECU per case. Only 26% of initially positive specimens reached the central laboratory for supplemental testing, and sterile transfusion equipment and blood-grouping reagents were frequently unavailable. The lack of transport and communications and a deteriorating health system were major constraints.
Conclusions: District hospitals in Africa are often long distances from major cities, difficult to reach for most of the year, and perform a small number of transfusions. In this context a classical centralized regional blood bank may not be a feasible option to ensure safe blood transfusions. However, safe blood transfusion can be achieved with a decentralized approach using a rapid test, provided that minimum standards of health-care services are available.
PIP: This program aimed at preventing blood transfusion-acquired HIV infection with a decentralized approach to HIV screening of blood donors using an instrument free raid test was initiated in Shaba province in Zaire (496,877 sq. km and included training of health care workers, distribution of a rapid HIV-antibody test (DuPont's HIVCHEK) for screening of all blood donations, and quality control of testing by a regional reference center. Over a 2-year period, 11,940 rapid tests were distributed to 37 hospitals, covering 75% of all hospital beds outside the copper mine's health system in Shaba. 85% of the tests were used to screen blood donors (5.4% positive test rate) and 13% to test patients (39.7% positive test rate). At least 265 cases of HIV-positive blood donation were prevented at an estimated cost of 137-279 ECU per case. Only 26% of initially positive specimens reached the central laboratory for supplemental testing, and sterile transfusion equipment and blood-grouping reagents were frequently unavailable. The lack of transport and communications and a deteriorating health system were major constraints. District hospitals in Africa are often long distances from major cities, difficult to reach for most of the year, and perform a small number of transfusions. In this context, a classical centralized regional blood bank may not be a feasible option to ensure safe blood transfusions. However, safe blood transfusion can be achieved with a decentralized approach using a rapid test, provided that minimum standards of health care services, are available.