Abstract

In 2018, the National Institute of Public Hygiene (INHP) signed an agreement with a courier deliver company to transport specimens from health facilities at district level to the national laboratory in Abidjan. This study aims to evaluate the quality of the specimens transport system, one year after implementation. The duration of specimen’s delivery was used as a quality indicator. It is the difference between the date of swabbing at health facility and the date of delivery at INHP. From January to September 2019, 2,352 specimens were sent from the healthcare facilities to the National Laboratory via the INHP. It came from 54 health districts over 86, with 62.8% as utilization rate and an average of 43 specimens per district. The median time to deliver specimens to INHP is 3.6 days [0-21 days]. In addition, 70% of the specimens from Abidjan arrive at INHP in less than 3 days with a significant relationship between the delivery time and the location of the districts. Case-reporting in all health districts should be implemented in the districts of the interior of the country to detect the outbreaks early. Collaboration should be strengthened, between the districts and the local agencies of the courier delivery company.

Key words: Specimens shipment, surveillance disease, delivery time.