ABSTRACT
The International Organization for Standardization defines point-of-care diagnostic testing as testing that is performed near or at the site of a patient with the result leading to a possible change in the care of the patient. Point-of-Care (PoC) tests are used everywhere within the health chain where there is need for a fast diagnostic outcome that is independent from sophisticated, time-consuming, labor-intense, and expensive laboratory procedures. PoC tests are usually designed to function equipment free as portable units with stable reagents that function efficiently within a broad range of environmental settings. Owing to the advantages of PoC tests, they are highly preferred for diagnosing neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in resource-limited settings. NTD diagnostics is challenging since these diseases often strongly relate to the context, which includes the needs and capabilities of the end users, available resources and infrastructure, extent of disease endemicity, and treatment options.
