Peripheral clinic versus centralized laboratory-based Xpert MTB/RIF performance: Experience gained from a pragmatic, stepped-wedge trial in Botswana.

Background: In 2011, the Botswana National Tuberculosis Program adopted World Health Organization guidelines and introduced Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay to support intensified case finding among people living with HIV enrolling in care. An evaluation was designed to assess performance under operational conditions to inform the national Xpert scale-up.

Methods: Xpert was implemented from August 2012 through November 2014 with 13 GeneXpert instruments (GeneXpert) deployed in a phased approach over nine months: nine centralized laboratory and four point-of-care (POC) peripheral clinics.

Investigating user-friendliness of the sexual and reproductive health services among youth in Botswana.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the extent of user-friendliness of sexual reproductive health services offered in Botswana. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 110 youth. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the friendliness of the health providers, health facility and program design using a 5-point Likert scale.