The Afya Kwanza and Afya Jumuishi programs support and strengthen laboratory systems through conducting Proficiency Testing and Continuous Quality Improvement (PT-CQI) to ensure critical, efficient and quality-assured laboratory testing. These programs through MDH and AAPH are collaborating to ensure PT-CQI data in the PEPFAR-supported health facilities are conducted on a quarterly basis by laboratory scientists. The Laboratory PT-CQI measures the following aspects of a health facility:
• Monitoring Engagement in CQI and PT: These are done to ensure the engagement in CQI and PT monitor progress over time (e.g., progress toward laboratory accreditation), and maintain quality-assured laboratory testing. Accreditation ranges from 0 to 4.
• Monitoring Availability of Laboratory Services: These show the extent to which laboratories and/or POCT sites are maintaining or expanding laboratory services through the number of specimens received for each testing category. The number of specimens received may also be used to monitor the capacity of testing sites and scale-up efforts over time.
• Assessing the Clinic-Lab Interface: These are the number of specimens received for testing used in conjunction with other indicators to monitor the clinic-lab interface.
• Providing Context for Testing Results: Levels of engagement in CQI and PT provides context for testing results at the facility.
Orientation Objective
To orient data collectors on the ODK PT-CQI Data Collection Tool that will be used for data collection while detecting mismatches at the health facilities.
Specific objectives
• To train data collectors on the use of the ODK PT_CQI Tool.
• To practice more efficient and accurate PT_CQI data collection using the ODK Tool.
• To identify areas of improvement in the ODK Tool.
A two-day training on the Lab PT_CQI ODK tool was conducted in each of the four regions namely: Kagera, Geita, Tabora and Dar es Salaam. It involved orienting the lab data collectors on the newly developed ODK tool that was generated from a paper-based tool .