TABLE 2.

Status of point-of-care quality assurance policy and framework in Uganda

Area	Status	Remarks	Est. Score
Top level Leadership engagement	Clear buy-in by all management and leadership levels about the role of POC testing in healthcare	There is a need to provide updates about POC testing; need for sensitisation on regional and international standards and ministerial declarations on POC testing and to seek additional resources.	80%
Coordination at national level	Quality assurance office staffed by a national quality assurance officer at CPHL and supported by quality assurance TWG as a sub-committee of LTC	The quality assurance office requires additional staff; Accreditation (1), Basic LQMS (1), EQA (1).	60%
Definition of roles and responsibilities	Regional quality committees are in place. Their role is coordination of quality efforts in the districts (7–10) within their catchment areas; there are quality focal points in facilities	The regional quality assurance networks require further strengthening. There is still doubt in many labs as to where responsibility for quality falls.	60%
Policy and Strategic plan	A National Health Laboratory Policy, NHL Strategic Plan, NHL M&E plan and Quality master plan exist	There is no specific policy statement on POC testing. There is a need to update the policies and plans to provide specific reference to POC testing.	40%
National Laboratory Standards	Minimum standards for laboratories have been set.	The country has not yet set minimum standards that focus on POC testing. There is a need to review manufacturers’ performance and specifications versus performance in the field for each POC test and then set goals and standards.	30%

CPHL, Central Public Health Laboratory; EQA, external quality assurance; LTC, National Health Laboratories Technical Committee; LQMS, Laboratory Quality Management System; M&E, monitoring and evaluation; NHL, National Health Laboratory; POC, point-of-care; TWG, technical working group.