Official launch of Phase 2 of the OPP-ERA project in Cameroon: Towards access for all to HIV viral load in Cameroon
On March 9th, 2017, OPP-ERA project has officially launched its second in Cameroon.
Implemented since March 2013 in four African countries (Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea) to improve the monitoring of people living with HIV by increasing access to viral load tests, the OPP-ERA project has been extended to 2019 in the 4 countries to develop the use of Open and Polyvalent Platforms (OPP) solution : innovative molecular biology techniques that allow to measure HIV viral load as well as to diagnose (with the same technical platform) other Infectious diseases.
OPP-ERA 2nd phase started on the 1st of August, 2016 in the 4 beneficiary countries and its purpose is to carry out 218 000 HIV viral load tests by 2019; to demonstrate the polyvalence of the Open Platforms for infants early HIV diagnosis and to diagnose other diseases : tuberculosis and hepatitis B as well as increasing the number of Open Platforms from seven (phase 1) to fourteen in phase 2 in the four countries.
In Cameroon, OPP-ERA phase 1 demonstrated the functioning of OPP and their complementarity with other diagnostic platforms and tools of the 2 laboratories equipped by the project at the Douala Laquintinie Hospital and at Garoua Pasteur Center district .
More than 16,800 HIV viral load tests were performed between August 2014 and December 2016.
OPP-ERA Phase 2 is expected to:
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Perform more than 53,000 HIV viral load tests from 2016 to 2019 through 4 open platforms
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Diagnose and monitor pathologies other than HIV such as hepatitis B, tuberculosis thanks to the polyvalence of open platforms;
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Install two new platforms at Yaoundé Central Hospital and Bertoua Regional Hospital;
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Train health human resources involved in the implementation of the project;
OPP-ERA Project
More information about OPP-ERA
More inormation about UNAIDS fight against HIV/AIDS