Background
Only half of pregnant women in Cameroon are tested for syphilis at their first antenatal care (ANC) visit. To improve syphilis testing, Cameroon has tested the SD Bioline HIV/syphilis duo in 323 facilities across eight regions with the support of 972 health providers. This study aimed to explore perceptions of stakeholders on rolling out the Duo test nationally.
Methodology
From April 2022 to June 2023, in the eight regions, sixty-three key informants were included for the study. In-depth interviews were conducted on these topics as importance of Duo test, positive and negative effects induced by the use of Duo tests, recommendations for national scale up of duo test. The interviews were conducted in French and English, recorded and transcribed before being coded and analysed with thematic approach using Atlas ti 9. This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards set out by the national ethical committee (N° 2022/08/1478 CE/CNERSH/SP).
Results
The Duo test is an acceptable considering its importance. Three out of five identified the Duo test as crucial for successful prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) for HIV and syphilis. Half perceived that the test could also cut ANC costs for pregnant women. One in six respondents said saving time and reducing the workload were two of the most important benefits (co-occurrence coefficient: 0.29). Regarding feasability, some healthcare providers saw challenges in interpreting the Duo test results. A minority felt it reduced money spent in health care since it was free. Most believed it should be included in the national algorithm. They recommended free syphilis treatment for pregnant women.
Conclusions
These findings lend support to the integration of the Duo Test into the national algorithm for screening pregnant women, which could lead to improvements in the overall management of HIV and syphilis in the country.