HIV false negative tests are ‘isolated cases’
(CNS): Senior management at the Health Services Authority has restated that three false negative HIV tests conducted by private labs were isolated cases and claimed that health standards remain high in Cayman at both the public and private facilities. “These are isolated cases and by no means undermine the quality of care offered in the Cayman Islands by both public and private healthcare providers,” Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Elizabeth McLaughlin and Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez said in a statement.
Following queries relating to approved HIV testing kits, they said the three cases were separate and unrelated incidents over a period of 12 months, from July 2015 to July 2016.
The cases initially tested positive at private healthcare facilities and the Public Health Department was informed by the doctors, the hsa bosses said, but a second test at private healthcare facilities tested negative.
“They subsequently tested positive at the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA) facility,” the statement said. “As part of the international standards which are practised locally by the HSA, all patients tested for HIV are retested, once they test positive initially. The three patients were retested at the HSA facility and its reference laboratory, Integrated Regional Laboratories (IRL), in Florida. All three tests were confirmed as HIV-positive.
“We categorically reaffirm that the patients, all healthcare providers involved, the Health Practice Commission and other relevant stakeholders were informed immediately of the results by the Acting Medical Officer of Health.”
A recommendation has now been communicated to all concerned that only World Health Organization standardised HIV testing kits be used.
The WHO-approved testing kits list is available on the Health Ministry website
Category: Health, Medical Health
This is concerning however, it seems as if the false negative tests are given more attention & prioritized more than members of the public actually making efforts to partake in the FREE TESTING! Last year I participated in the screening process and I overhead one of the volunteers say they’d had so many kits left over because so few people had participated. It doesn’t benefit the volunteers, people! Get out and GET TESTED!
question we are in 2017 why wasn’t the alert put out in 2015 and 2016 talk about a typical delayed reaction by Government…. and how do you police what kits clinics are using? Epic failure if you ask me!
Do u want to tell people which lab or dr office gave flase results. It is a matter of public health concern !
It was explained to me by a exspat that there are doctors here in Cayman that run private practices that if you pay you will get a clean bill of health every time and one of the practice was shown to me over two years ago!
It was also explained to me by a caymanian that there are doctors here in Cayman that run private practices that if you pay you can have an expat will fail their medical every time and then be kicked out the country so the Caymanian can then take their job!
Silly troll
HAHHAHAHAHAHAHA… WOIIII.. Good one. I believe, I believe!! 🙂
Lol!