Gov’t will implement National Lab Policy by end of 2021- Health Minister

Ghana’s Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has revealed that government will commence the full implementation of National Laboratory Policy to scale up quality control, assurance and management systems aimed at achieving quality healthcare by the end of 2021.

Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has been leading advocacy for implementation of the National Lab Policy to inform policy planning whilst shaping and strengthening lab practices, certification, fixing policy gaps, guarantee commitments of the Health Ministry, score higher marks at World Health Organizations’ credibility ratings and remove any rough edges that may be found within laboratories in the country.

The policy if implemented will be come a standard guideline and commitments of the book runners of the heath sector including government, Health Ministry, the Minister, Diagnostics Department, focal persons and managers of labs to supervise lab practices and services in Ghana in consonance with World Health Organizations’ standards whilst ensuring optimum care for patients.

Speaking official Opening Ceremony of 2021 Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science (WAPCMLS), Ghana Chapter on theme: Postgraduate Medical Laboratory Science Education and Practice in West Africa on Saturday, 17 July, 2021 in Accra, the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu in a speech read on his behalf by Lawyer Amidu said ” government is currently reviewing the National Lab Policy for towards full implementation. Government intends to implement National Lab Policy by end of 2021″.

The failure of government to implement the long existing National Laboratory Policy powered by Centre for Diseases Control limits Ghana’s efforts to score higher marks at the level of WHO’s policy credibility ratings. This has become a worrying trend and roadblocks to GAMLS efforts to excel at WHO’s annual assessment and credibility index.

Source : africaneditors.com