A new and complete HIV viral load laboratory was inaugurated this Monday, December 5 in the province of Veraguas. This center will make it possible to provide timely responses to this test required for the monitoring of people living with the HIV/AIDS virus to the country.
This laboratory will provide the service of viral load tests and strengthen laboratory surveillance, providing antiretroviral treatment clinics in Veraguas and the Health regions in Herrera, Los Santos, Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Comarca Ngäbe Buglé and Coclé.
The Ministry of Health revealed that the laboratory has state-of-the-art equipment, which uses platforms approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and will allow comparative tests to be carried out with the Gorgas Memorial Institute; On a weekly basis, it will be possible to carry out runs of 96 people, increasing the current resolution capacity of the province, positively impacting the monitoring of people with HIV in the interior of the country.
To meet this goal, the Veraguas Health Region has worked since 2019, in the structural rehabilitation of the old clinical laboratory of the Dr. Luis “Chicho” Fábrega Hospital, achieving with resources to enable a space that will help in public health surveillance in the region.
They highlighted that this laboratory is receiving the support and collaboration of the Gorgas Memorial Institute, the University of the Valley of Guatemala, the Center for Disease Control of the United States CDC, ICAP Global Health of the University of New York, through the use of funds of the plan of the presidency of the United States for the relief of HIV/AIDS – PEPFAR and the perseverance of the regional team.
