The four-day convergence currently underway at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, seeks to bring to light some new innovations taking shape in lab services, while promoting networking and sharing of best practices in strengthening lab services in the sub-region.
Also, the initiative came at a time when countries in the sub-region are recovering from Covid impact, which was a wake-up call for all especially the need to revitalise and strengthen laboratory services in West Africa.
At the event, Dr. Donald I. Ofili, director and deputy registrar, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), emphasised the importance of the gathering, adding that it will accord delegates the opportunity to discuss pertinent issues that border reference laboratory in the region.
Dr. Ofili while expressing delight with the turnout of delegates, highlighted the four-thematic areas delegates will discuss during the confab, which he said includes lab safety management information, bio-safety and security, entomological surveillance of arboviruses and quality management systems.
He expressed optimism that WAHO being the secretariat will be helping in providing guidance during the event, further calling on delegates to provide insightful updates needed for them to know their position in terms of implementation.
Dr. Ofili recalled that during their last confab held in Cape Verde, several issues came to light in terms of challenges, though they have charted a way forward.
Deputising for the Minister of Health, Babanding Sabally, deputy permanent secretary, Technical at the Ministry, while thanking WAHO for choosing the country to host the event, acknowledged that WAHO has a mandate, one of which is to strengthen health care delivery systems in West Africa.
He maintained that a strong and quality laboratory services helps one to make correct diagnosis as the latter alone consists of 50% of treatment of a patient.
“They were doing this for the past decades through harmonisation of policies, produces and regulations. They are also in the fore-front when it comes to resource mobilisation and we must acknowledge and appreciate the efforts they have been doing in those endeavours.”
That, he noted, is all geared towards ensuring quality health care delivery to the populace.
Laboratory services, he added, is an indispensable service in health delivery system.
He said: “For us to achieve almost all our targets in our health delivery system, we must ensure that our labs are functioning very well. It is no hidden secret that laboratory services in our region, is a struggle. However, with the advent of Covid, which was a wake-up call for all us, there is urgent need to revitalise and strengthen laboratory services in West Africa.”
DPS Sabally maintained that after covid, the government of The Gambia mobilised resources to strengthen the country’s lab services, noting that it is an ongoing development, and that a lot of efforts have been done in that regard.
He expressed optimism that with the calibre of participants at the event, he had no doubts that delegates will do justice in meeting the set target goal.
He also made reference to the theme of the country’s National Health Policy 2021-2030, which is strengthening partnership for quality health delivery in the sub-region.
The theme, he further added, very well resonates with WAHO philosophy and thanked all their partners for the support.
Also speaking, David Blohm, portfolio manager, German Development Cooperation, (KFW), one of the stakeholders supporting the event, explained that the confab seeks to strengthen lab systems in West Africa.
The outcome of the forum, he reasoned, would help to consolidate the gains and forge partnership as well as to exchange experiences to improve services.
The event, he said, would also help significantly in strengthening the epidemiological surveillance system in the region.
He underscored the importance of strengthening lab systems in countries, noting that this helps in better diagnosis and early detection of new disease, noting that lab systems need to have better equipped and proper management system.
