Feasibility and Effectiveness of Using Community Testing Centers to Increase Access to COVID-19 Testing Services in Urban Mozambique.

ABSTRACT: Conventional diagnostic systems struggled to meet the fluctuating demand for testing across the different waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the walkthrough (WT) approach in extending access to COVID-19 testing to high-risk populations traditionally underrepresented at health facilities (HFs) and to observe its impact on testing demand. An interventional study was implemented in markets (WT markets) and ports (WT ports) in Maputo City and Province, Mozambique. Demographic, epidemiological, and clinical data were collected for patients testing for COVID-19 in HFs and at WTs, and a nasal swab COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) was administered. Overall, testing rates at WTs were higher than t

SUBMITTER: Sambo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11965724 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature