FMH Approves New HIV Test Kit

On Tuesday, the Federal Ministry of Health disseminated its evaluation of the laboratory performance of WONDFO, a testing kit, proven to fulfil all demands of the World Health Organisation for rapid testing of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) 1 and 2.

The health ministry, through its HIV and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) department (NASCP), revealed that the objective of the evaluation was to establish the ease of use of the WONDFO HIV 1/2 rapid test kit, as well as determine its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy.

According to the Chairman HIV Test Kit Evaluation Committee, Manasom Rubianu, the evaluation was a cross-sectional laboratory-based performance characteristic with the specimen sample size of 1,233, selected from health facilities in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The specimen was further tested using the HIV test kits in the National testing algorithm before they were retrieved to the reference laboratory at the Public Health In-Vitro Diagnostic Control Laboratory, Yaba, Lagos.

“The Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of test were 99.5%, 99.4% and 99.4% respectively.

“Based on the above results, is recommended that WONDFO HIV rapid test kit be included among the first line (screening) tests of the HIV testing algorithm.

“Based on the outcome of this evaluation it is hereby recommended that where the choice of screening test is not WONDFO, WONDFO can be used as a confirmatory test because of its specificity of 99.4%, ” Rubianu said.