Laboratory Services Division
Universal and routine access to quality assured HIV related laboratory services are made available through the activities of Laboratory Services Division. It is recognized that work related to laboratory services are not confined to HIV testing, but are overarching and have an impact on other interventions included under prevention, care, support and treatment, STI management, blood safety, procurement and supply chain management. Emphasis on quality assured laboratory service delivery is important to the success of NACP.
To ensure quality of HIV testing under the NACP, NACO has an External Quality Assessment Programme administered to all HIV testing laboratories. The HIV testing laboratories are arranged in a tiered manner with the Apex laboratory (NARI, Pune) at the very top. In case of Maharashtra Apex laboratory NARI Pune is also working as National Reference Laboratory (NRL). This National Reference Laboratory (NRL) and 12 State Reference Laboratories (SRLs) form the two subsequent tiers of the laboratory framework and are involved in supervision of testing in all peripheral testing centers (ICTCs).
Major activities of Laboratory Services Division:
- Framing guidelines for HIV testing, Quality in HIV Testing, Enumeration of T lymphocytes and Laboratory guidelines for Early Infant Diagnosis
- Accreditation of HIV testing Laboratories.
- Establishing and improving Quality Management Systems in CD4 testing laboratories, STI laboratories and ICTCs.
- External Quality Assurance Programme for HIV testing laboratories
- Testing Services in National Programme on Early Infant/child less than 18 months Diagnosis.
- CD4 testing for initiation and monitoring of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART)
- Viral Load testing for second-line ART
- Training of laboratory personnel.
