Point-of-care diagnostic tests for low-resource settings

Abstract

Point-of-care diagnostic tests (POCTs) can enable health-care workers to provide more rapid and effective care to people in low-resource settings.1 POCTs should ideally meet the WHO's ASSURED criteria2—ie, being affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment-free, and deliverable. However, this condition is not always possible. Our Brighter Futures project aims to understand the needs, costs, barriers and opportunities that affect the implementation of POCTs and develop a model to implement a POCT to improve maternal and child health-care in Peru. Through this project, we found that few appropriate tests were available. This scarcity in tests results from the fact that the scientists and engineers who design these tests, and the companies who develop and market them, are usually based in affluent countries and are often unaware of real settings and the real needs of the end-users...