Because of Covid-19, we are already seeing massive setbacks to tuberculosis, AIDS, and malaria care in many settings, because all the attention and resources are diverted to COVID-19. Another concerning direct negative effect of focusing on COVID-19 is a shift towards production of COVID-19 diagnostic tests and a resultant decrease in tests for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. An even more insidious diversion of resources is through the diagnostic repurposing of existing tests and platforms to test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Diagnostic companies and country governments should not forget their global health obligations.
Please read this important piece in Lancet Microbe: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(20)30041-0/fulltext
Covid19 not at the expense of other diagnostics.pdf (42.3 KB)