Evaluation of the Logistics System for Transporting Tuberculosis and HIV Samples and Delivering Test Results in the Dominican Republic’s Public Health Referral Network

The Directorate for the Development and Strengthening of Regional Health Services (Dirección de Desarrollo y Fortalecimiento de los Servicios Regionales de Salud; DDF/SRS), a unit of the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Public Health (MPH), identified weaknesses in the transportation of laboratory samples and the subsequent reporting of results that directly affect coverage, particularly in certain disease control programs, such as those addressing HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB). The design and implementation of an efficient system is contingent on a situational study that can identify inefficiencies and design intervention alternatives to address them.

In November 2013, the DDF/SRS requested, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), technical assistance from the Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) program in conducting a baseline study that would generate the evidence necessary for improving the system for transporting samples and delivering results. The work plan prepared by SIAPS and approved by the DDF/SRS in January 2014 includes the methodology proposed for the evaluation and analysis of the study’s findings, as well as the next steps for designing and implementing the appropriate logistics system.

This report presents the findings of the evaluation conducted of the logistics system currently used to transport TB and HIV samples, as well as samples for the three pathologies included in the Epidemiological Surveillance Program, based on available technologies and established methods and procedures.