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THANK YOU FROM THE CHAIR

It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Local Organising Committee, to thank you for attending the POCT Africa Conference, the 3rd Annual Point of Care Testing Africa Conference, which will be held Virtually Online.
The conference was hosted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) / Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) / Cardiometabolic Health Research Unit (CHRU) and under the auspices of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC), Africa Federation of Clinical Chemistry (AFCC), South African Association for Clinical Biochemistry (SAACB) and Point of Care Research Network (PCRN).

The market for point-of-care (POC) diagnostics is projected to surpass $38 billion by 2022, and rapid testing is changing the paradigm for clinical care across many disease areas. Technologies and platforms are being optimized for speed and reliability in a variety of settings, including bedside, resource-limited and pharmacy testing.
The conference provided an overview of the point-of-care testing (POCT) landscape in Africa, from novel technologies to regulatory approval. Point of Care Testing continues to expand in Africa at a rapid rate and new advances in POCT Technology are making it faster, cheaper and more accurate. Indeed, with enhanced connectivity many clinics are benefitting with shorter turnaround times. In HIV and Tb management in particular, POCT has changed not only the testing landscape but also is influencing care pathways.

This meeting further framed the role of POC testing in the expanding Global Health field and highlight opportunities existing in many parts of the world. The successful implementation of quality management is a challenge in the area of POCT. It is therefore important to integrate the aspects of quality management for POCT into the QMS of the hospital and requires constructive cooperation between all stakeholders.

International speakers highlighted several areas of impact and provide comprehensive coverage of POC Detection, POC Diagnostics and POC-based Treatment Options in the fields of infectious diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Abstract submissions were invited to give ample opportunity to present their research findings and discuss their work with their peers.

Furthermore, two workshops presented by international experts, addressed the challenges to choose the right POC instrument and assessing site suitability for establishing a POC service.

‘Improving patient health outcomes in Africa through Point of Care Testing’

Best Wishes,
Prof Tandi E Matsha
Chair
POCT Africa Conference