Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke in NYANGA
THE Government has embarked on a nationwide programme to digitise all public medical laboratories and equip them with advanced machinery, a move expected to bring services closer to communities, cut delays in diagnosis and improve patient outcomes.
The initiative is being rolled out under the Eelectronic Laboratory Information Management System (eLIMS), a digital platform designed to revolutionise the way laboratories process, manage and share test results across the country.
Through eLIMS, laboratories are shifting from paper-based systems and manual transportation of results to a centralised electronic system that captures test requests, processes them and instantly transmits results to clinics and hospitals.
This digital transformation reduces turnaround times, strengthens disease surveillance and ensures patients begin treatment without unnecessary delays.
At the Nyanga District Hospital, the laboratory is now fully digitised and supported by new equipment, including a state-of-the-art 10-colour GeneXpert machine for tuberculosis testing.
Provincial laboratory information management system officer Mr Kudzai Goredema said the new system had already transformed service delivery.
“Digitalisation is happening across all laboratories in the country, and here in Nyanga, we have successfully completed the process,” he said.
“All test requests are now captured in the laboratory information management system, even when they come from rural clinics far from here.
“Previously, results could take up to a week to reach patients because we relied on ambulances and other transport services.
“Now, as soon as results are finalised, they are instantly sent by SMS or email to the requesting clinic, meaning patients can start treatment the same day.
“This has significantly improved health outcomes, particularly for conditions such as TB and drug-resistant TB.”
Laboratory scientist at the Nyanga District Hospital Mr Masiwa Musuka said the installation of the GeneXpert machine had strengthened the hospital’s capacity to fight tuberculosis.
“The 10-colour GeneXpert allows us to test for TB and immediately detect whether the patient is resistant to any of the first-line TB drugs,” said Mr Musuka.
“This enables doctors to quickly place the patient on appropriate second-line medicines and improve survival chances. In the past, we had to send samples to Harare, which delayed treatment. Now, we get results within 24 hours, right here in Nyanga.”
Tuberculosis remains one of Zimbabwe’s major public health concerns.
The World Health Organisation still ranks Zimbabwe among the 30 countries with the highest burden of drug-resistant TB.
Although progress has been made in recent years in detection and treatment, challenges remain, particularly in rural areas where access to diagnostic services is limited.
Officials say strengthening diagnostic capacity through digitalisation and advanced testing technologies is key to reducing TB-related deaths and improving treatment outcomes.
Villagers in Nyanga have welcomed the development, saying it has eased the burden of travel and waiting times.
Mr Netsai Chikopa, a villager from the area, said: “This is a very good development because those who are sick no longer have to travel to Mutare or Harare for tests. Results are coming quickly, and people can get treatment early. That means more lives will be saved.”
Another villager, Mr Fungai Nyamaropa, said the difference was already visible in patient care.
“My younger brother is admitted here and everything is going on smoothly. When the doctors took samples from him, we had the results within hours,” he said.
The digitalisation programme is part of the Government’s broader strategy to modernise laboratory services nationwide and strengthen the health system, in line with the goal of achieving universal health coverage.
By combining modern diagnostic technologies with digital platforms such as eLIMS, officials believe Zimbabwe can improve disease surveillance, reduce delays in treatment and save more lives.
