Maria Martinez: The Logistics Legend Connecting Australia's Hepatitis C Testing Network
Maria Martinez: The Logistics Legend Connecting Australia's Hepatitis C Testing Network
While thousands of Australians receive life-changing hepatitis C test results in minutes rather than weeks, few know about Maria Martinez—the logistical mastermind making it all possible from behind the scenes.
CAPTION: Maria (centre) in the background preparing testing equipment for an outreach hep C testing campaign in Cairns, providing support to Heather Valerio (right), who is testing a community member for Hep C. Photography Conor Ashleigh ©2021
As the backbone of the Australian Hepatitis C Point of Care Testing (HCVPOCT) program at the Kirby Institute, Maria manages the complex supply chain supporting over 110 testing sites across the country. Her colleagues call her the "POCT Queen," and for good reason—she orchestrates the distribution of GeneXpert devices, testing supplies, and quality assurance challenges with remarkable precision.
CAPTION: Maria, Steph Davey, Simon Comben, David Silk, Samira Hosseini Hooshyar, (in the background Jae Williams), and Becca Henry at the HCVPOCT stall at the POC24 conference in Sydney.
"She gets things done, efficiently, and perfectly on the first try," notes colleague Simon Comben. At the same time, the team at Flinders International Centre for Point of Care Testing describes her "logistics prowess" as shining through in "timely delivery of essential supplies to keep the point-of-care testing network operational." But Maria's superpower extends beyond routine logistics. When sites face urgent supply shortages, she thinks outside the box, coordinating with surrounding locations to ensure no testing campaign is delayed. She's arranged the delivery of multiple GeneXpert instruments on very short notice to ensure successful prison screening campaigns, demonstrating her commitment to reaching Australia's most vulnerable populations.
CAPTION: Corey Markus, Mim O'Flynn, Dorrit Grimstrup, Maria, and Sam White at Woodford Correctional Centre for a high-intensity testing campaign
What drives Maria is the human impact of her work. "It's heart-warming to hear how grateful our clients are when they get their result within minutes in a setting they're comfortable in," she reflects. For underprivileged and hard-to-reach populations, point-of-care testing eliminates the anxiety of waiting for potentially life-changing results. She's even been known to chase participants down the street when equipment malfunctions, ensuring they receive their critical HCV RNA results. "Most of the people we see already have enough on their plate—making testing accessible, easy and quick makes such a difference to their perception of getting healthcare and trust with the service."
CAPTION: Amanda Erratt, Alex Wade, Luke, Jessie Payne, Maria, and Danielle Russell. The team assembled at Port Macquarie for an outreach testing campaign.
Maria's dedication stems from deep personal values, shaped by her heroes—her parents, whom she describes as "the most supportive, caring and resilient people. I could only wish to be half the humans they are." This foundation of care and resilience clearly influences her approach to supporting testing sites and the communities they serve.
Despite managing what David Silk describes as "distribution and supply chain chaos," Maria remains remarkably calm and approachable. Her colleagues at Flinders attribute this to her "amazing strategy and organisational skills." Her advice to newcomers? "Don't be scared! Everyone in the team is always willing to help."
CAPTION: Maria collecting a fingerstick blood sample for point-of-care Hep C testing in Cairns
Since joining VHCRP in 2017, Maria has been instrumental in expanding access to hepatitis C testing across Australia, demonstrating that the most vital work often occurs quietly, one successful test at a time.