Transformational Change in Zimbabwe

Overview

 

Through an innovative collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Childcare (MOHCC), the Medical Laboratory and Clinical Scientists Council (MLCSCZ), the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI), and the Madziire Center of Transformation, CLSI has worked to help promote new training and a domestic ISO 15189 quality accreditation program in Zimbabwe.

The Situation

In early 2021, CLSI signed a contract with the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) located in Harare, Zimbabwe, to support continual improvement initiatives for the laboratory systems. This work was centered around strengthening testing capabilities within laboratories, specimen referral hubs, and HIV point-of-care testing clinics and involved close coordination with BRTI, the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), and the Medical Laboratory and Clinical Scientists Council of Zimbabwe (MLCSCZ).

 
The Program

The work began with local Zimbabwe mentorship teams performing baseline laboratory assessments, providing quality management trainings for key laboratory personnel to build local capacity, and providing valuable technical mentorship support. Over the following months, and with funding support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), CLSI’s Global Training team worked with 55 labs to perform HIV Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement (RT-CQI) assessments. 

MOHCC launched the National Certification Framework for Medical Laboratories and Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) with the help of the CLSI team. Launched in August of that year, the national certification program allows more laboratories to pursue international accreditation through domestic channels, where previously they had been limited by costly applications through regional and international bodies.

In 2023, CLSI’s partnership with the Ministry turned toward leadership capacity building. CLSI supported a laboratory leadership training by Professor Madzivire from Madzivire Center of Transformation (MaCoTra) held in Kadoma, Zimbabwe. Participants were taken through the foundational elements of leadership and learned how leadership makes an impact in different settings. Participants for the workshop included MOHCC Medical laboratory scientists, a provincial hospital laboratory quality officer, provincial hospital laboratory managers from the reference laboratories, and the Directorate of Laboratory Services.

 
The Result

The result of this investment and collaboration has been a substantial improvement in the quality of laboratory testing and systems in Zimbabwe, including:

• First in-country international accreditation program in compliance with ISO 15189.
• At least 100 labs to receive extensive training and mentorship, enabling them to qualify for international accreditation.
• Seamless collaboration and coordination among a collective set of in-country partners.