What We Do | PAC

Supporting HIV-Related Laboratory Networks and Partnerships to facilitate laboratory strengthening and management activities for countries supported under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Who is PAC?

The Pan-African Consortium (PAC) is a joint collaboration between the Institut de Recherche en Santé, de Surveillance Epidémiologique et de Formation/Cheikh Anta Diop University (IRESSEF/CADU), and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and ASLM.

The PAC is a unique partnership of Africa-based organisations with technical expertise, outreach to the Laboratory community and networks and political mandate to advance laboratory Medicine.

The PAC is funded by PEPFAR to assist supported countries to further advance and sustain access to quality-assured HIV laboratory services, and bridge the gaps towards the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. The PAC assists countries, local NGOs and implementing partners to develop and adopt frameworks for the implementation of quality-assured HIV diagnostics policies and procedures in all sub-Saharan African regions.

What PAC Does

Support uninterrupted testing services along the HIV cascade of care
Improve the clinical outcomes, diagnosis, treatment and management of HIV and related diseases
Enhance the accuracy and reliability of diagnostic results and the continuity of testing services
Improve clinicians’ trust in and reliance on test results for patient management in all PEPFAR-supported sub-Saharan African countries

PAC’s Achievements at Year One

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HIV testing sites enrolled in RTCQI and certification framework available in 6 countries
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fellows trained to support PHIA studies
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engineers trained for equipment maintenance
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countries supported to implement waste management for HIV VL testing through ECHO
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countries implementing the HIV Viral load and EID scorecard for the CQI of VL testing
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number of members of the global laboratory community accessing SOPs and best practices

PAC’s Anticipated Outcomes

Increased adherence to best practices
Increased knowledge and human resource capacity
Increased implementation of policies and procedures

PAC’s Strategic Approach

  • Direct technical assistance to PEPFAR–supported countries
  • Synergising partnership to reduce overlap or interventions, save on resources and create opportunities for new knowledge and innovations
  • Translation of best practices into validated frameworks, policy and regulation at the national and regional level
  • Dissemination of best practices and knowledge to the larger community of laboratory medicine professionals and healthcare on the continent
  • Maintain a communication between Ministries of Health, partners and civil society in support of improved HIV diagnostic services and functional laboratory networks

PAC’s Scope of Work

During the current year (Year 1) of the cooperative agreement award, the Pan-African Consortium partners are working in partnership with local Ministries of Health, CDC in-country offices, and other stakeholders and implementing partners to support the implementation of the following activities in PEPFAR-supported countries across the African continent:
Preparation of viral load laboratories for ISO15189 accreditation in Ethiopia
Strengthening QMS and other CQI activities for HIV testing laboratories in Kenya
Evaluation of new, rapid molecular technologies for EID and expansion of the proficiency testing network
HIV Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement (RT-CQI)
Laboratory partnerships to support the diagnosis, treatment and management of people living with HIV and TB
Scale up of viral load testing
Partnerships for TB/HIV diagnostic networks

For more information

Contact the PAC Project Lead, Dr Collins Otieno here