adminWalter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
The Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital laboratory has been certified as the best Government-run entity, despite a shortage of pathologists which has hampered the opening of the pathology section for body tissue analysis.
With the latest ratings, Chinhoyi is moving towards attaining ISO certification. The milestone comes after the hospital laboratory was rated the most improved laboratory from a pool of 20 laboratories in Central and Southern Africa in 2014.
CPH beat four other short-listed laboratories in Zimbabwe including Mutare General, Mpilo Central Hospital, Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital and Masvingo Provincial Hospital. In an interview, principal laboratory scientist Mr Michael Nyika said the hospital got the rating after an assessment in December last year.
“The last time we had an assessment by the African Society for Laboratory Medicine we got a five-star rating. This is the first time that a public health laboratory has achieved that level. The assessment looked at our commitment and the composition of laboratory personnel,” he said.
The hospital’s CPH machines are periodically serviced, which guarantees correct reading of samples and results. The laboratory processes samples from other hospitals in Mashonaland West province, which has put pressure on its facilities.
The laboratory was equipped through the Zimbabwe China Project and the National Aids Council in its microbiology, bio-chemistry, blood transfusion, haematology and virology sections.
“We would want to open a section where tissues are examined. We have a department, but we do not have pathologists and other specialists to open the department. The equipment is there, but the manpower is a challenge,’ said Dr Nyika.
There are also plans to make the laboratory a training centre for laboratory personnel, while the hospital is working towards ISO Certification.
Online Reporter