RHIVDA

WHAT IS RHIVDA?

A new rapid HIV diagnostic algorithm (rHIVda) policy was released by Department of Health in order to decentralize HIV confirmatory testing. rHIVda consists of a sequential combination of three immunoassay and/or rapid tests which can be reliably used to rapidly confirm HIV infection in certified laboratories across the count .

The rapid HIV diagnostic algorithm (rHIVda), an algorithm proposed by the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) of DOH, National Reference Laboratory-San Lazaro Hospital-STD/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (NRL-SLH/SACCL), and the HIV National Reference Laboratory of Australia, includes rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that have shown comparable specificity and sensitivity and a shorter turnaround time compared with Western blot.

The target population for rHIVda and the eligible population for the PhilHealth Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment (OHAT) package are different. rHIVda may be performed on both the general and key population while OHAT package is only intended for confirmed HIV/AIDS patients by SACCL or RITM.