Abstract:
INTRODUCTION Recent evidence shows that point-of-
care
(POC) testing is a more feasible alternative for diagnosis of
COVID-19
in settings that have poor access to laboratory
diagnostic services. Equitable access to POC testing
can be optimised through well-established
supply chain
management (SCM) systems. The proposed study aims to
develop a novel approach for improving SCM for COVID-19
POC diagnostic services in resource-limited
settings
with poor access to laboratory diagnostic services, using
Mopani District in Limpopo Province, South Africa as a
study setting.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS This study was guided by
results of the scoping review. Following the scoping
review, we propose a mixed-methods
study, which will
be implemented in three phases. First, we will perform a
geospatial analysis to investigate the spatial distribution
of COVID-19
testing services. Second, we will perform an
audit of POC diagnostic services including its supply chain
to evaluate the effect of SCM on accessibility of COVID-19
POC diagnostic services and reveal SCM barriers and
enablers of accessibility of COVID-19
POC diagnostic
services. Third, we will perform a nominal group technique
to collaborate with key stakeholders in co-creation
of a
novel approach for improving SCM systems for COVID-19
POC diagnostic services. For the geospatial analysis we will employ the ArcGIS Software. For the analysis of
quantitative and qualitative data that will be generated
from the audit and nominal group discussion, we will
employ Stata software and NVivo software, respectively.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study has been
ethically reviewed and approved by two institutional
review boards: University of Pretoria Faculty of Health
Sciences Research Ethics Committee (approval number
655/2021) and Limpopo Department of Health Research
Ethics Committee (approval number LP-2021-
12-
007).
The results of this study will be disseminated through
national and international presentations and peer-reviewed
publications.
