The Health Services Authority (HSA) has been made aware of three separate incidents of reported “false negative” HIV tests from private healthcare facilities.

The samples subsequently tested positive at the HSA’s lab, with the results also confirmed by the authority’s reference lab, Integrated Regional Laboratories (IRL) in the United States.

“These ‘false negative’ persons pose a public health risk to the Cayman Islands,” said Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez and Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Elizabeth McLaughlin in a joint statement. “As such, there is a need for the standardisation of kits used in HIV-testing in healthcare facilities.”

Following consultation with the Ministry of Health, they have recommended that healthcare facilities only use kits approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Members of the public who are being tested for HIV are encouraged to check with their healthcare provider to confirm that they are using a test kit approved by the WHO.

The WHO list is available on the Ministry’s website at [email protected]

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IMAGE: Alibaba