Ethiopia Received the SLMTA Recognition Award
Ethiopia has received the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) award which was given at the 6th Biennial SLMTA Symposium held from December 10–11, 2023, at the 2023 African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM2023) International Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. The award was given to Ethiopian for ranking 4th in Africa for having registered the highest number of laboratories to SLMTA to ISO standards.
Dr. Saro Abdella of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) Deputy Director General for Health Laboratory Services; the key objective in providing quality laboratory services is to safeguard the well-being and health of our community. By providing high-quality laboratory services, we aim to contribute to the overall improvement of healthcare outcomes and enhance the lives of those we serve. This award underscores our constant pursuit of excellence and our drive to deliver accurate and reliable laboratory results. It is a testament to the hard work, skill, and expertise exhibited by our dedicated team of professionals. Each member of our laboratory staff plays an integral role in ensuring accurate diagnoses, promoting patient safety, and maintaining the highest standards of quality. It is their unwavering commitment and passion that have led us to this remarkable achievement.
Dr. Saro would also like to seize this opportunity to extend her gratitude and thanks to the leadership of MOH and EPHI, RHBs, Regional Public Health Institutes/Regional Reference Laboratories, management and laboratory personnel of the accredited laboratories, mentors, CDC-Ethiopia, ASLM, and other stakeholders and partners for all the support and invaluable contributions to this remarkable achievement.
Mr. Daniel Melese, the National Laboratory Capacity Building Directorate Director, Ethiopia started implementing the WHO-Afro Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) training and mentoring initiative in 2009 as a means for the stepwise implementation of the Laboratory Quality Management System in preparation for accreditation to international quality standards. Since then, the country has come a long way in improving the quality of laboratory testing services provided at the different levels of the national health laboratory system. So far, 46 health laboratories have managed to attain and maintain accreditation to ISO 15189 or ISO 17025 standards