Monitoring and Evaluation

The MOPH will establish a standard POC test monitoring system, testing registers and monthly reporting forms. The M&E system will support POC testing implementation, access to patients and logistical capacity and performance. Regions must ensure that reporting materials, tools and systems follow national standards in support of the M&E system and are technology neutral.

The main goals of introducing POC testing in Cameroon are to increase timely uptake of testing, increase timely receipt of test results, and to improve and accelerate ART initiation of eligible patients. A Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) plan will be implemented to measure the scale-up of this program, and to assess the impact of this program in achieving these goals. The MOPH will design the indicators used in M&E for POCT. Some of these may include:

1. Program Scale-up: To measure the goals of scaling up POC testing in public health facilities in Cameroon, targets should be set for some or all of the following indicators:
– Number of sites trained to perform POC testing; number of healthcare workers trained and certified to perform POC testing;
– Number of sites successfully passing External Quality Assessment (EQA) for POC testing;
– Number of total POC tests performed.

2. Impact Assessment: As this program is expected to generate significant patient benefits, separate indicators will be used to measure the impact that POC testing has on patient outcomes. These indicators will be measured through the national HMIS and through data collected from POC connectivity.

Metrics collected through connectivity will include:
– Number of patients receiving a test
– Average patient count
– Error rate of each facility and operator. Metrics collected through HMIS will include:
– Current patient enrollment numbers on ART
– New patients initiated on ART
– Number of patients ever initiated on ART; as needed or desired, MOPH or partners may undertake additional impact assessments.