Improving the management and security of COVID 19 diagnostic test data with a digital platform in resource-limited settings: The case of PlaCARD in Cameroon

During the COVID 19 pandemic, round-the-clock demand for COVID -19 laboratory tests exceeded capacity, placing a significant burden on laboratory staff and infrastructure. The use of laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to streamline all phases of laboratory testing (preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical) has become inevitable. The objective of this study is to describe the architecture, implementation, and requirements of PlaCARD, a software platform for managing patient registration, medical specimens, and diagnostic data flow, as well as reporting and authentication of diagnostic results during the 2019 coronavirus pandemic (COVID -19) in Cameroon. Building on its experience with biosurveillance, CPC developed an open-source, real-time digital health platform with web and mobile applications called PlaCARD to improve the efficiency and timing of disease-related interventions. PlaCARD was quickly adapted to the decentralization strategy of the COVID 19 testing in Cameroon and, after specific user training, was deployed in all COVID 19 diagnostic laboratories and the regional emergency operations center. Overall, 71% of samples tested for COVID 19 by molecular diagnostics in Cameroon from 05 March 2020 to 31 October 2021 were entered into PlaCARD. The median turnaround time for providing results was 2 days [0–2.3] before April 2021 and decreased to 1 day [1– 1] after the introduction of SMS result notification in PlaCARD. The integration of LIMS and workflow management into a single comprehensive software platform (PlaCARD) has strengthened COVID 19 surveillance capabilities in Cameroon. PlaCARD has demonstrated that it can be used as a LIMS for managing and securing test data during an outbreak. Author summary Following the emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and its global spread, the number of tests conducted by laboratories COVID 19 increased rapidly, placing a significant burden on laboratory staff and infrastructure. This resulted in long turnaround times for laboratory results, which in turn led to delays in immediate follow-up and strategic decision making. The use of laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to streamline all phases of laboratory testing (preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical) has therefore become essential. The objective of this study was to describe thearchitecture requirements of the PlaCARD (Platform for Collecting, Analyzing, and Reporting Data) d