Innovative and Rapid Access to Points of Care to Optimise the Care of Newborns and Infants Exposed to HIV in Conakry, Guinea (2020-2021)

In Conakry, Guinea, like many other African capitals, traffic congestion is a major obstacle to transporting blood samples from peripheral health centres to laboratories where tests are centralised. This situation complicates early HIV testing of HIV- exposed children (i.e., born to HIV-positive mothers), even though the World Health Organization recommends treating HIV-infected children before the age of two months to reduce mortality. The use of drones, which has proved effective in many countries for rapidly transporting healthcare products and reaching isolated areas, could help to resolve these difficulties and improve early detection. A pilot study was conducted from 2020–2021 to assess the feasibility, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of such a strategy. The pilot study had an anthropological component on the acceptability and perception of using drones to optimise the transport of blood samples in Conakry.