@article{fdi:010060568,
  title = {{E}xternal quality assessment of reading and interpretation of {M}alaria {R}apid {D}iagnostic {T}ests among 1849 end-users in the {D}emocratic {R}epublic of the {C}ongo through {S}hort {M}essage {S}ervice ({SMS})},
  author = {{M}ukadi, {P}. and {G}illet, {P}. and {L}ukuka, {A}. and {M}batshi, {J}. and {O}tshudiema, {J}. and {M}uyembe, {J}. {J}. and {B}uyze, {J}. and {J}acobs, {J}. and {L}ejon, {V}eerle},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground: {A}lthough malaria rapid diagnostic tests ({RDT}) are simple to perform, they remain subject to errors, mainly related to the post-analytical phase. {W}e organized the first large scale {SMS} based external quality assessment ({EQA}) on correct reading and interpretation of photographs of a three-band malaria {RDT} among laboratory health workers in the {D}emocratic {R}epublic of the {C}ongo ({DR} {C}ongo). {M}ethods and {F}indings: {H}igh resolution {EQA} photographs of 10 {RDT} results together with a questionnaire were distributed to health facilities in 9 out of 11 provinces in {DR} {C}ongo. {E}ach laboratory health worker answered the {EQA} by {S}hort {M}essage {S}ervice ({SMS}). {F}illed-in questionnaires from each health facility were sent back to {K}inshasa. {A} total of 1849 laboratory health workers in 1014 health facilities participated. {M}ost frequent errors in {RDT} reading were i) failure to recognize invalid (13.2-2.5%) or negative test results (9.8-12.8%), (ii) overlooking faint test lines (4.1-31.2%) and (iii) incorrect identification of the malaria species (12.1-17.4%). {N}o uniform strategy for diagnosis of malaria at the health facility was present. {S}tock outs of {RDT}s occurred frequently. {H}alf of the health facilities had not received an {RDT} training. {O}nly two thirds used the {RDT} recommended by the {N}ational {M}alaria {C}ontrol {P}rogram. {P}erformance of {RDT} reading was positively associated with training and the technical level of health facility. {F}acilities with {RDT} positivity rates >50% and located in {E}astern {DR} {C}ongo performed worse. {C}onclusions: {O}ur study confirmed that errors in reading and interpretation of malaria {RDT}s are widespread and highlighted the problem of stock outs of {RDT}s. {A}dequate training of end-users in the application of malaria {RDT}s associated with regular {EQA}s is recommended.},
  keywords = {{REPUBLIQUE} {DEMOCRATIQUE} {DU} {CONGO}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {O}ne},
  volume = {8},
  numero = {8},
  pages = {e71442},
  ISSN = {1932-6203},
  year = {2013},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pone.0071442},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010060568},
}