Established in 1989 and accredited by the College pf American Pathologists in 2003, IDI Core Lab seeks to maintain the highest internationally acceptable standards and a collaboration platform for research, providing technical support and training to local and regional institutions and research programmes.

In October 2004, the Core Lab took up residence at IDI as part of the Lab License and Service Agreement between Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University (MU-JHU) and IDI. This partnership provided a wealth of expertise and an opportunity to discuss the future lab development and optimisation of lab services for the clinics and expanding support for research. Today, the award-winning lab remains a regional leader offering a full-range of excellent medical laboratory services. We continue to support the enhancement of laboratory quality in Africa through providing continuous staff training on an extensive array of equipment.

On average, the Core Lab performs 180,000 tests ranging from routine to highly complex tests per year. The lab is self-sustaining and serving over 100 research studies at any time, along with routine clinical diagnostic testing, drawing up an annual testing volume capacity of over 300,000 tests. This capacity is made possible by a set of highly skilled staff, state-of-art equipment, and an efficient in-house maintenance programme. Our distinctive expertise is in having such robust quality assurance quality control processes and systems as would assure round the clock reliability of testing services and excellent customer care.  In appreciating that there is a face behind every sample, we receive; our primary value remains to make the people we serve smile.

Core Lab Tests List

• Haematology
• Flow Cytometry
• Molecular Pathology
• Serology
• HIV Drug Resistance Testing (HIVDRT)
• Clinical Chemistry
• HBV DNA quantification
• Anti-Hepatitis B Core Antibodies (IgG & IgM)
• Anti-Hepatitis C Virus
• Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria Gonorrhoea-GeneXpert

Other services

• Sample processing including Peripheral blood mononuclear cells-PBMCs

Biorepository

Equipment maintenance and calibration verification

Training (internship)

Providing Platform for Research Support

The idea of setting up the Central Laboratory was born in 2009. Occupying the former storage space for the Core Lab, the Central Lab was created to serve as a high-volume quick turn-around lab hub for IDI outreach projects across Uganda. This was expected to facilitate the provision of quality, low-cost laboratory services in accredited facility and carrying the same level of quality for outreach IDI-supported clinics. It also provides QA/QC for other non-CAP-certified labs in the country.

On average, the Central Lab conducts 5,000 tests a month with less than 24 hours of turn-around time. Continuity of the equipment is assured. For instance, for every item of equipment available in the Central Lab, the IDI Core Lab has two items of equipment that perform the same functions as a backup.

The establishment of the IDI Central Lab ensures our equipment are always in good condition as there are regular maintenance checks performed by a reliable team. Leveraging the CAP-certified Core Lab, the Central Lab has significantly cut on the cost for a selected range of the most common tests.

“Since the IDI Central Lab was opened, we have been able to save US$4,125 per month on CBC tests and US$2,365 on CD4 tests.” — Dr. Jackson Bitarabeho, IDI-Kampala City Council Authority Capacity Building Project manager

• Haematology and Coagulation
• Flow Cytometry
• Urinalysis and Serology
• CD4/CD8+
• Molecular Pathology-PCR
• Chemistries
• Microbiology
• Complete Blood Count, Manual differential, Malaria smear-BPs
• HIV Screening Rapid, Syphilis (RPR & TPAB), CRAG, Urine-HCG, Urine microscopy & dipstick, Schistosomiasis, Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, Trichomonas Vaginalis rapid tests, Bacterial Vaginosis Testing
• HIV-1 DNA PCR, HIV-1 RNA PCR, Hepatitis B Ag, Hepatitis B viral load, Anti HBC & HCV ELISA
• Electrolytes, Renal Function Tests, Liver Function Tests, Lipid profile, Cardiac Enzymes, Pancreatic Function Tests

Maximising Research Impact

The Translational Laboratory, under the IDI Research Programme, is a non-CAP-certified lab bridging research and implementation. Established in June 2009, the Translational Laboratory offers non-CAP-certified, high-volume tests at minimum cost and validates these tests, mainly in support of the main IDI Clinic at Mulago and elsewhere. Specifically, it offers ELISA based testing in the areas of TB, point of care testing in HIV, TB and cryptococcal meningitis, pharmacokinetics using a precision liquid chromatography.

In 2014, with the assistance of generous financial support from UCSF-GIVI CFAR and in partnership with the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at Makerere University, the Translational Laboratory began operating in a new laboratory space four times the size of the original one. This new space has been provided with additional scientific equipment allowing a wider range of assays to be conducted in the laboratory from routine diagnostics to highly complex microbiological, immunological and molecular biological assays.

The laboratory has continued to collaborate with internationally renowned partners, including Becton-Dickinson, Accordia Global Health Foundation, and the Gladstone Institute of Virology in support of numerous research projects with the potential to lead to better treatment options for patients in Uganda and elsewhere.

Translational Laboratory Tests

• Immunology
• Molecular Biology
• Pharmacokinetics Point-of-care Diagnostics
• Microbiology

The Stat Laboratory handles all stat tests (Rapid manual tests) and Point-of-Care (POC) tests whose results are received within a few minutes to a few hours in the same day. The Stat lab, which is under the Prevention, Care and Treatment (PCT) Programme, is also the major sample collection, reception and quality station for patients at IDI. It also houses studies within IDI.

Stat Laboratory Tests

• Rapid HIV
• Malaria
• Pregnancy
• Urinalysis
• Stool analysis