Speaking at the launch of the National Guidelines for Medical Laboratories in Harare recently Mudenge said the body would be tasked with regulating lab services in the country. This is currently done by individual labs and international regulatory bodies outside the country.
The body will also be responsible for procuring lab machines, as well as approving supplies used by laboratories.
The National Guidelines for medical laboratories are minimum requirements to be met by all laboratories in Zimbabwe in order to ensure universal access to reliable, high quality laboratory testing, especially HIV prevention, care and treatment
programmes. The ministry, in collaboration with the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, will train laboratory staff and supervise programmes to ensure full implementation.
Zimbabwe has in the past faced acute shortages of blood donors and at one time was left with a mere 650 units instead of the required 3,000, officials at NTBS, described as "worrying".
Like the rest of Zimbabwe's ailing health sector, the NTBS has faced equipment and supply shortages as a result of the country's economic crisis. The lack of blood test kits has led to concerns over the safety of blood provided by the NBTS.
Post published in: News