Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - July 6, 2003
Thabo Mkhize
Designed by Kobus Herbst, deputy director of research operations at the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, based in Mtubatuba in KwaZulu-Natal, the HIV Confidant guarantees the privacy of test results - even from healthcare workers.
The calculator-sized computer device has been developed in collaboration with US-based information technology company Dimagi to conduct an HIV population surveillance project in Mtubatuba.
Herbst says: "The device will make people become more comfortable with having HIV tests as they will know that they will hold the key to the results. It is very important that people know their HIV status."
It has already been used on more than 400 volunteers in KwaZulu-Natal who took part in a pilot project last year. About 200 people have been tested since early this week.
Explaining the workings of the device, Herbst says that after a fluid sample is taken from a patient, he will be given a card bearing two unique numbers.
One of the numbers will be used in the labelling of the sample to be sent for analysis. Only the patient will have access to the other secret number - similar to a bank card's pin number.
Once a patient's result is downloaded onto a computer system, the fluid sample number is punched in. The patient is then required to punch in his secret number to gain access to his result.
Herbst says: "This system gives people control over when and how their results are disclosed to them."
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