Point of Care Technology - A Substitute to Equipment Donor Dependency in HIV/TB Care in Uganda

Abstract

Uganda's dependence on donated equipment for diagnosis and patient care of HIV/TB patients is significant. Point of care technology for remote areas with limited resources will greatly improve patient care. In a study supported by the Forgarty International Center entitled Strengthening Ugandan Biomedical Engineering HIV/TB Human Resource Research Capacity, it was revealed that the ration of donated to bought equipment was 70:30 in public government owned health facilities and 19:81 in private-public partnership owned research facilities that supported HIV/TB care. The public/government owned health facilities have majority of their equipment donated which most often end up unused or used for a short while. This has been seen to be due to a high maintenance and infrastructural costs involving the use of donated equipment. For effective service delivery, Uganda's healthcare system needs technology that is affordable, sustainable yet accurate and reliable in order to support clinical decision making. This is especially important because the people who carry the higher percentage of the disease burden in the country are poor and live in the remote areas of the country. Point of care technology that is appropriate would address the needs of Uganda's health system in HIV/TB care in a clinically and cost effective manner and in turn avoid the introduction of possibly expensive equipment (donated equipment) which fail to deliver the required outcomes.