On the 28th of September 2017, a historic intervention was made when the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA, ACTS 1973 & 328) launched the standard document GS ISO 15189:2017 adopted from the ISO 15189:2012 for quality and competency requirements for medical laboratories in Ghana. Before and after ACT 857, PART 1 came into force, Medical Laboratory Professionals quest for standards in their practice have never seen such brightness and positive response.
It is refreshing to see this as not just one of the many documents that have never given the biting teeth. It is important to note that the implementing bodies (Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Health Facility Regulatory Agency (HFRA)) present at the launching assured the use of the standards in their routine duties. The fight to ensure quality made a quantum jump on this day.
The document developed by a 16-member Technical Committee (TC) affirms that medical laboratory services are essential to patient care and have to be available to meet the needs of all patients. It is believed that the standards established by the GSA will be implemented at least in the district medical laboratories. This I see to be an important step that must be welcomed by all.
To say the least, any laboratory that meets both the technical competence requirements and the management system requirements presented in the standard document can consistently deliver technically valid results. Such results are trusted and help to improve patient care.
The document which spells out the processes to develop and establish quality must be made to work without fear or favour. All those who are not competent both by training and even these standards must give way.
Ghana stands to benefit immensely from this adoption and can boldly say without any iota of doubt that medical laboratory services in the country could be comparable to some of the best from USA, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
I would want to join in the effort of medical laboratory professionals who have been calling on the government to make standards work in medical laboratories in Ghana. The wealth of a nation is in no doubt hooked on the health of the workforce. Make medical laboratory professionals count.
Graphic publication of the event
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