November 29, 2017 - Ethiopian Ministry of Health disclosed that only four out of the nine rapid HIV/AIDS testing kits can be used, according to ENA. This was disclosed at a joint press briefing by the Ministry of Health and Ethiopian Public Health Institute today. The result was announced following the assessment carried out to determine quality and rapidity. Health Minister Professor Yifru Berehan said dissemination of the approved HIV/AIDS testing kits to health centers, hospitals and rural clinics will start soon. Ethiopian Public Health Institute Director-General, Dr. Ebba Abate said on his part that the assessment was conducted as per the standard of World Health Organization's recommendations and guidelines that were published in 2015. WHO recommends sensitivity of a testing kit to be at least 99 percent to consider it for HIV screening, he added.In this regard, the newly selected four rapid HIV/AIDS testing kits are in line with the international standard of sensitivity for screening. Ministry of health had established a task force drawn from governmental institutions and other stakeholders that are closely related with HIV/AIDS to do the assessment. Assessment of HIV/AIDS testing kits is undertaken for the third time in Ethiopia, it was learned.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency