Researchers awarded $1.2 million HRC grant to advance point-of-care testing

Te Tātai Hauora o Hine—National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington recently received $1.2 million from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) for a three-year initiative.

Image supplied

The goal of this initiative is to enhance access to timely and safe healthcare for rural whānau through advanced point-of-care testing (PoCT), which allows diagnosis of common infections at rural healthcare centres.

Professor Bev Lawton from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington is leading the initiative, which involves collaboration between iwi, community groups, and researchers. The aim is to remove barriers to healthcare access in rural areas, where delays such as those seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Gabrielle, have likely led to preventable harm.

PoCT is an innovative technology that enables diagnosis in rural healthcare settings, reducing the time to treatment for infections that could lead to severe complications if left untreated.

“The objective is to bring diagnostic testing directly to rural communities, facilitating easier care,” says Professor Lawton.

“The initiative will provide on-site testing for common infections such as Strep A, Flu, Covid-19 and RSV in rural areas, and evaluate the impact of this availability on clinical care pathways and health outcomes.”

Testing typically requires collecting samples and sending them to a lab, which can take up to a week to process. In rural areas, the nearest lab might be 2–3 hours away. By setting up these devices in primary care clinics, staff can rapidly access test results on-site.

In previous research by Professor Lawton in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay, where self-swabbing PoCT was introduced, health practitioners emphasised the significant benefit of having these tests available during the pandemic and the extreme weather events that affected the region.

If successful, this latest research will help reduce preventable harm and death and contribute to the development of community-based testing models with an Indigenous perspective, both nationally and internationally.

“The initiative is based on Kaupapa Māori principles, which means it is guided by Māori values and practices, and it puts the needs and perspectives of whānau at the centre.”

Guided by the Centre’s Kāhui Kaumātua, the research team will work closely with Te Whatu Ora, ensuring that research findings are effectively translated into improvements in Māori health.

Investigators from Te Tātai Hauora o Hine, Australian National University, & Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer are also involved in the research.