IDI Lab open day

On Thursday 13th of February, the Core lab under the Laboratory Programme at the Infectious Diseases Institute in Mulago hosted a tour around its facilities in a bid to present its achievements. The tour also presented an opportunity to create awareness of the services offered there and their contribution towards patient safety through quality laboratory service delivery. The event opened with annotations from key stakeholders including the Dr Isaac Ssewanyana, the director of the Uganda National Health Laboratory, who spoke on behalf of Dr Susan Nabadda, the Commissioner, Uganda National Laboratory Services (UNLS). His remarks were followed by a tour of the myriad of highlights in the lab, including sixteen successive years of College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation. The visitors were invited to view a vast array of state of the art lab technology including Unique Liquid Mass Spectrometer, the first of its kind in East and Central Africa.

Dr Andrew Kambugu, the Sande Mckinell, Executive Director of IDI commended the lab for the high standards maintained since inception in 2003. He said the lab was one open for routine tests-use in clinical management in addition to research tests.

“This laboratory is a great step towards Uganda’s journey in the health sector; a service that can prove that Uganda can develop and deliver internationally competent services,” he added.

Tea-time involved interactions, comments, and appreciations from the guests. Prof. Charles George Okiria, the chairperson Allied Health Professionals Council Uganda noted that as a council, they are proud to be associated with the Infectious Diseases Institute. He acknowledged the lab for rising above the standards of the regular yardsticks used to assess laboratories.

Simon Peter Rugera, head of department at the Mbarara University of Science and technology said he was very happy about the work that was being done at IDI and requested for it to be extended to Mbarara University through masters’ student trainings.

Dr Rohan Nzije advised that IDI continue to build capacity of laboratory technicians, but consider bringing on board clinicians and medical personnel, who are going to use the lab services on a regular basis.