Press Release
Americans Support Training to Strengthen Tanzania’s National Laboratory Health Services
December 29, 2008
The National Laboratory Quality Assurance and Training Center, with technical support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recently held its first training for Early Infant Diagnosis (EID). Over the course of a week, members from the International Laboratory Branch, CDC Atlanta, trained five technologists from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on how to prepare testing materials for early infant diagnosis in anticipation for the implementation of EID Quality Assurance program in Tanzania. A second session of training in chemistry, hematology and CD4 was conducted for 18 hospital laboratory workers supporting care and treatment centers in the Eastern Zone of Tanzania. Consultants from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) conducted the training of national trainers that will eventually reach a cadre of regional and district laboratory workers.
The United States of America is a global leader in combating HIV/AIDS worldwide through PEPFAR, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This 10-year, $48 billion program, is the largest initiative in history to combat a single disease. Since its inception in 2003, the American people have provided over $817 million to combat HIV/AIDS throughout Tanzania.
The Ministry of Health, with the support of PEPFAR, is establishing capacity for EID at four referral laboratories throughout Tanzania, including Bugando Medical Center Laboratory, Mbeya Referral Hospital, Muhimbili National Hospital, and Kilimanjaro Christina Medical Laboratories. Quality Assurance is fundamental for the success of the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS and ensures that mothers and their children are referred to HIV/AIDS care and treatment.
Since 2004, the United States Government's Laboratory Support Program has contributed more than $20 million (approximately 25 Tsh/- billion) to strengthen Tanzania’s National Laboratory Health Services. Over 500 laboratory workers have been trained on using CD4 machinery, conducting hematology and chemistry tests; and more than 2000 non-laboratory health workers have been trained on rapid HIV testing. Other trainings include laboratory management, standard operational procedures, laboratory information systems and equipment maintenance. The availability of the National Laboratory Quality Assurance and Training Center (NHLQATC) ensures that all laboratory hands-on training can be conducted in laboratory environments that are safe to learners, instructors, and the environment.
This support toward strengthening health throughout Tanzania comes from the American people and is part of overall U.S. Government direct and multilateral assistance to Tanzania of more than 750 billion Tanzanian shillings during this past fiscal year.