SLMTA Governance Board Member

George Alemnji

Dr. George Alemnji, a chemical pathologist by training, joined the Caribbean Regional Office in September 2009. He has worked in Clinical and Public Health Laboratory Services and Systems Strengthening for 15 years. He doubles as Laboratory Advisor and Associate Director for Science (ADS) for the CDC Caribbean Regional Office (CRO), where he also served as Acting Director between October 2010 and June 2011. His previous experience includes: Study and Laboratory Coordinator, as well as Laboratory Director CDC, Cameroon; Laboratory Director, NIH (DAIDS) HIV clinical trial site, Zimbabwe; Senior lecturer in chemical pathology, faculty of medicine, University of Yaoundé, Cameroon; and part-time assignments/consultant to several international organizations. In his present role, George oversees the entire PEPFAR laboratory portfolio for the Caribbean region, and coordinates all research and scientific issues for the CDC CRO. He works closely with Mission key persons; Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis (DGHT) staff and all headquarters support personnel, other regional partners; and the PEPFAR interagency team to achieve stated goals. George has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biochemistry, M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Chemical pathology (Laboratory Medicine), and Masters in Public Health (MPH). He has over 40 scientific publications on HIV and AIDS and related clinical laboratory issues. George has successfully accredited 3 clinical laboratories in his career.

Professor Anthony Ogbonna Emeribe

Professor Anthony O. Emeribe is a Fellow of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria with postgraduate degrees from the University of Ibadan and University of Calabar. He is currently the Registrar/Chief Executive of the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), a Federal Government of Nigeria Agency charged with regulating medical laboratory services, medical laboratory science education, in-vitro diagnostics (test kits, reagents, chemicals and equipment), and accreditation of public and private medical laboratories as well as licensing of medical laboratory practitioners. Under his leadership, the MLSCN has recorded several giant strides and successfully instituted standards, processes and guidelines for approval, certification, continual quality improvement and accreditation of public and private medical laboratories in Nigeria, which are geared toward improved health services and cutting down of capital flight due to medical tourism associated with poor medical diagnosis. Under his leadership, MLSCN Headquarters was relocated from Lagos (after 38 years) to its own ultra-modern Administrative Offices/Laboratories Complex in Central Abuja Municipal Council within a very short period and became a visible Government Regulator.

Furthermore, under his leadership, MLSCN has been admitted into the membership of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) / International Accreditation Forum (IAF), the first agency in West and Central Africa to be so admitted as well as the African Regional Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC). He has attracted several international partners to aid the activities of MLSCN towards bequeathing quality medical lab testing in Nigeria. He is a member of ASLM & SLMTA Governing Boards as well as Co-Chairman of the African Society of Laboratory Medicine 2016 Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. He is the President of the Federation of African Associations of Medical Laboratory Scientists.

Professor Emeribe was a Professor of Laboratory Haematology & Blood Transfusion Science at the College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar and Honorary Consultant Haematologist with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. He served as Head of Haematology from 1996-2005 during which period there was exponential growth in the variety and turnover of laboratory investigations and transfusion services with enhanced mix and number of staff and excellent client/physician satisfaction resulting in the Department receiving the Best Commercialized Unit Award for several years running at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. He served as President of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (2000-2004) during which period the enabling Act of Parliament empowering the profession was promulgated as well as the Scheme of Service for Medical Laboratory Scientists was released by the Federal Government of Nigeria. He had attracted various grants for research on tropical diseases and had successfully supervised several undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as internees. Prof Emeribe was a member of the Presidential Committee for the Rehabilitation of Teaching Hospitals and Military Hospitals (Vamed Project 2002-2004). He is the Supreme Secretary of the Order of Knights of St Mulumba Nigeria (KSM), Foundation National 1st Vice President, Catholic Men Organisation Nigeria, Foundation President, Calabar Provincial Council of CMO and Past President, Calabar Archdiocesan Council of CMO. He has over 30 Awards from professional, societal, religious and cultural organizations.

Dr. Eduardo Gudo

Dr. Eduardo Samo Gudo is a senior scientist on Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Health in Mozambique. Dr Gudo holds a medical degree from the University Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique and a PhD degree from Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Brazil. Since 2013 he occupies the position of Scientific Director of the National Institute of Health. Between 2010 and 2013 he occupied the position of Head of Department of Reference Laboratory Services also at National Institute of Health. Dr Gudo is member of the National Expert Committee for Immunization in Mozambique and President of Scientific Committee at National Institute of Health in Mozambique.

Dr Samo Gudo is the national focal point for SLIPTA in Mozambique since 2015 and between 2011 and 2014 was the national coordinator of SLMTA technical working group in Mozambique.

Giselle Guevara

Ms. Giselle Guevara is the Laboratory Quality Assurance Coordinator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Caribbean Regional Office. She holds a BSc & MPhil in Natural Sciences and an International MBA. Her experience includes over 10 years working with laboratories on accreditation, quality management systems and overall quality improvement. Her current assignment includes spearheading the task based Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) training program, assisting with the implementation of External Quality Assessment programs (EQA), coordinating the development of national strategic plans for laboratories, conducting assessments and providing technical assistance to prepare national laboratories in 11 PEPFAR supported countries for accreditation. She also assists with planning and managing the PEPFAR funding for the laboratory strengthening activities in the region.

Dr. Luciana Kohatsu

Dr. Luciana Kohatsu is a senior Laboratory Systems Strengthening and Scientific Advisor for the development of innovative quality assurance technology, and laboratory accreditation expert at the U.S. CDC Division of Global HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, International Laboratory Branch (ILB) in Atlanta, Georgia. SLMTA Master Trainer, she trained the first cohort of Mozambican trainers, Latin American military trainers, and trainers and Master Trainers for the Americas. She is a founding SLMTA Governance Board Member, and her focus is to assure the advancement, longevity and institutionalization of the SLMTA program.

Dr. Kohatsu joined the ILB Branch in 2008, and served in several roles, including Laboratory Branch chief for CDC Division of HIV/AIDS and TB in Mozambique (2015-2018); founding member of the U.S. Department of State’s PEPFAR Interagency Collaborative for Program Improvement in Washington D.C.; laboratory liaison for ten PEPFAR-supported countries in the Americas, Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania; and Unit Lead for the ILB Clinical Monitoring Unit lead, and as PEPFAR laboratory subject matter expert for the Americas and the Caribbean. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, and a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She completed the CPEP-approved Fellowship in Infectious Diseases and Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory at the UCLA Medical Center, the West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital, the Los Angeles County Public Health Laboratories, and the State of California Public Health Tuberculosis Laboratory.

Talkmore Maruta

Mr. Talkmore Maruta joined ASLM in May 2013 as Senior Programme Specialist. He has implemented international health programmes for the Clinton Health Access Initiative and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory sciences from the University Of Zimbabwe, School Of Health Sciences, and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Limpopo, South Africa. Mr. Maruta is currently pursuing a PhD in public health. 

Kelly Mokobela

Ms Kelebeletse Mokobela is the Laboratory Manager for the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital Laboratory in Botswana. Nyangabgwe Hospital is one of the two regional hospitals in the country. Ms Mokobela has attained a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Microbiology from Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia in 2004. She has worked as the Botswana National Quality Manager from 2009 – 2011. Under her service four public laboratories were accredited to ISO standards. As a Lab Manager at Nyangabgwe she was able to guide and lead the laboratory through the development and implementation of QMS that led to the laboratory accreditation to ISO 15189 in 2014. She co-authored a paper, The validity of HIV Testing Using Sputum from Suspected Tuberculosis Patients, Botswana, 2001. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 2003;7(8):710-13 which was nominated for The Sheppard Award. In 2014 she was the lead author of a paper published in the AJLM SLMTA supplement; Accelerating the Spread of Laboratory Quality Improvement Efforts in Botswana, 2014.African Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2014; 3(2). Ms Mokobela was certified SLMTA Master Trainer and has since conducted Trainings in several countries including South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda and Botswana.

Dr. Fausta Mosha

Dr. Fausta Mosha, is a medical microbiologist and epidemiologist working for the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Tanzania since 2005, currently as a Director for the National Public Health Laboratory since 2010. Before that she has been coordinating laboratory based trainings and also a Resident Advisor for the Tanzania Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP). She holds an MD from the University of Dar es Salaam, Msc in Microbiology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, Msc in Epidemiology and Laboratory Management from the Jomo Kenyatta University, Kenya and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She is a Principal Investigator for the international Co-operative agreement between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), Atlanta and African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) on a project “Proficiency testing for HIV Rapid Tests, Biological safety cabinet certification” in several Countries in Africa and the Caribbean Region. She is also a Project Manager for the East African Public Health Laboratory Networking Project (EAPHLNP) in Tanzania and Serves on different Boards.

Dr. Jean-Bosco Ndihokubwayo

Dr. Jean-Bosco Ndihokubwayo is a Medical Doctor specialized in Clinical Pathology and Public Health. Before joining WHO in 2001, Dr. Ndihokubwayo was Dean of School of Medicine of Bujumbura, University of Burundi. In his capacity as WHO staff Member in the Regional Office for Africa, based in Brazzaville, Congo, Dr. Ndihokubwayo coordinates the laboratory programmes for their coherent contribution to the strengthening of national health laboratory capacity through setting norms and standards, including national laboratory policies and plans and the provision of support to countries to implement the WHO/AFRO Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation among others.

Dr. Ndihokubwayo also coordinates the strengthening of the integration of laboratory services in the African region to support countries in their efforts to move away from a disease-specific laboratory focus towards an integrated, coordinated health laboratory system, one that promotes efficient use of resources and improved laboratory service delivery, and ensures laboratories at all levels of the health system contribute to national disease prevention and control including biosafety and laboratory biosecurity. Dr. Ndihokubwayo spent 2 months (April and May 2014) on the ground in Guinea trying to coordinate the international ongoing efforts to control the Ebola virus disease outbreak.

Nqobile Ndlovu

Before joining ASLM in April 2013, Mr. Nqobile Ndlovu served as Laboratory Project Coordinator for the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) in Kampala, Uganda, where he implemented laboratory programmes. He also served as Assistant Field Coordinator for the Masters in Public Health training programme at the University of Zimbabwe. Mr. Ndlovu holds a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory sciences and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Zimbabwe.

Dr. John Nkengasong

Dr. John Nkengasong is the Associate Director of Laboratory Science and Chief of the International Laboratory Branch at the Division of Global HIV/AIDS , Center for Global Health, CDC. He also co-chairs the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s (PEPFAR) Laboratory Technical Working Group. He received a Masters in Tropical Biomedical Science at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, and another Masters Degree in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Brussels School of Medicine and a Doctorate in Medical Sciences (Virology) from the University of Brussels, Belgium. Between 1993-95 he was Chief of the Virology and the WHO Collaborating Center on HIV diagnostics, at the Department of Microbiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. He joined CDC in 1995 as Chief of the Virology Laboratory, CDC Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He has received numerous awards for his work including, but not limited to, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for excellence in Public Health Protection Research, the Sheppard Award nominee, and Director’s Recognitions Award. He has also served on various international advisory boards as well as a reviewer for numerous journals.

Dr. Trevor Peter

Dr. Trevor Peter was appointed as Board Chairman for the African Society for Laboratory Medicine in 2012. He is a leading proponent of the ASLM2020 Vision of “Improved Healthcare in Africa through Strengthened Laboratory Services”.

Dr. Peter has worked to advance the ASLM2020 Vision goals of a strengthened laboratory workforce to address essential human resource gaps, more widespread accreditation of laboratories to ensure reliable testing, strengthening and harmonisation of diagnostics regulatory systems to ensure quality products in the marketplace, and building an African network of public health laboratories for improved surveillance and south-south collaboration. He believes in stronger partnerships and coordinated action between stakeholders in laboratory strengthening to achieve major global health, such as expanded antiretroviral treatment targets, an AIDS-free generation, TB control and reductions in malaria transmission. He works to build local capacity and ownership to ensure long-term sustainability, and is a leading advocate for improved laboratory services based on best practice and innovation as a means to strengthen evidence-based medicine and improve healthcare outcomes.

Dr. Peter has spent over 20 years in research and global health and has a long history of working to improve healthcare in Africa and elsewhere. He worked initially in Zimbabwe from 1991-1999 on a regional research programme studying the epidemiology of infectious disease. In 2000, he joined the Harvard School of Public Health and became laboratory director of the Botswana-Harvard School of Public Health Partnership HIV Reference Laboratory. In this position he was responsible for building the laboratory’s capacity for essential HIV monitoring tests to meet the needs of Botswana’s pioneering large-scale antiretroviral treatment programme. In 2005, Dr. Peter joined the Clinton Foundation as a Lead Scientific Advisor and now is the Senior Director, Diagnostics Services at the Clinton Health Access Initiative. Dr. Peter has spent 10 years advising public health programmes on laboratory strengthening and scale-up across 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean. He has co-authored over 60 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Peter was a founding member of the ASLM Board since its inception in 2011 and was Chair of the inaugural ASLM2012 international conference held in Cape Town in December 2012. He holds a PhD from the University of Florida and a Master in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Judith Shang

Dr. Judith Shang is the current Laboratory Director for the CDC-Cameroon program. She received a Masters in Medical Microbiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, and a Doctorate in Medical Sciences (Microbiology) from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospitals, London, UK. From 1998-2001, she took up the position of assistant head of the Laboratoire de Santé Hygiene Mobile, Yaoundé, Cameroon. Between July 1999 - February 2000, she also served as an ORISE Fellow in a post-doctoral fellowship program with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Biologics, Evaluation and Research, USA. In 1999, she joined the University of Yaoundé 1, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, as lecturer in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular biology until 2007 when she joined CDC-Cameroon DHAP program as the laboratory coordinator for the CDC-Cameroon research station in Mutengene and in October 2008, she joined CDC/DGHA now DGHT-Cameroon. Dr Shang has received several awards in recognition of her services, including a Center for Global Health 2011 Director’s leadership award and a US Department of State Meritorious Honor Award for superior management and leadership of the CDC Cameroon laboratory section resulting in a model laboratory program under PEPFAR. Currently, she coordinates CDC-Cameroon Laboratory activities for both DGHT and GHSA programs.

Michael Abala Wanga

Mr. Michael Abala Wanga has over twenty (23) years progressive experience in the field of Health, Law, policy, social development, , human rights and governance both at national and international levels, all aspects of Health Laws/Regulations and evidence based advocacy to influence policy reform or shift being his major area of focus over time. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the prestigious Strathmore University, Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB) from Kampala International University-Uganda, Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology from Medical Training Centre, Nairobi Kenya and is a beneficiary of Pan African EMBA IESE, Lagos and Strathmore Business School. He has a strong background of Health Law and Policies, constitutional law, governance, human rights and democracy having been a governance and law reform consultant for various health sector agencies for fifteen (15) years. During his stint at the civil society, in 2008 upon graduating from Law School he presented a paper at a Technical Workshop of a commission headed by former South African Constitutional Court Judge Johan Kriegler, which recommended reforms to the electoral process in Kenya following the crisis after the 2007 presidential election.

Again in 2009 he participated in the in presentations and drafting of Kenya's new constitution as a one of the team players of national and international experts who spearheaded the constitutional review process. During his tenor of interaction in the health sector, Michael participated in formulation of various policies including; World Health Organization in malaria control programme- the roll back malaria initiative and control of other diseases, East African Community in fast implementation of joint health policies and regulations, Pan African Global Movement for health aids social activities, formation of the global Africa Society For Laboratory Medicine, negotiating the grant for EA Lab Network - World Bank Project, guiding the Department For International Development( DFID UK) Malaria Project. UNICEF - Malaria Project. CDC PEPFAR Project.

His very important memorable moment came 2010 during a meeting in Kampala Uganda which was attended by Africa's Most Prominent Laboratory medicine experts where he proposed the formation of a Pan African body to champion the rights and the interests of t the sector in Africa, hence the creation of ASLM.

He has worked in the Ministry of Health in different positions, during his stint in the health ministry, he was very instrumental in drafting the Health Bill and the Draft Kenya Health Policy. Further he has also consulted widely as Technical Assistant for several organizations including; Most recently, Technical Resource person in spearheading the Taita Tavate County Health Services Law Making Process, Technical Resource person for Council of Governors on Devolution on Healthcare, Technical Resource Person at Kenbright Insurance Brokers, Technical Resource Personal at Africa Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), Technical Resource Person at African Leadership   Institute (AFLI) and Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) KMLTTB, where he lead reforms in the legislative review and/or drafting of several policy guidelines and statutes such as medical laboratory equipment and reagents validation rules.

Dr. Ismae Whyms

Dr. Ismae Whyms is the Deputy Laboratory Manager / Quality Manager of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital and the Technical Director for Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine in the Bahamas. From June 2003 – August 2010, she was the Acting Laboratory Director of the HIV Reference Laboratory Ministry of Health, where she was instrumental in setting up the HIV Reference Laboratory for CD4 and Viral Load testing.

During her tenure at the HIOV Reference Lab, she has worked closely with the Clinton Foundation and the Center for the Disease Control, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and PAHO in the selection, evaluation and validation of the Rapid Test kits for HIV used in the Bahamas, to establish the approved national algorithm.

In 1997, Dr. Whyms graduated from the University of the West Indies Kingston, Jamaica with a Doctor of Philosophy Hematology, Dissertation: “Sickle Cell β+ Thalassaemia- A Heterogeneous Condition. She is also a Graduate of Michener Institute for Applied Sciences Canada Post Graduate Certificate in Quality Laboratory Management, (2006). In November 2010 she successfully completed, an ISO/IEC 17025 Lead Assessor Trainer Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation Certificate (JANAAC)

She sits as Chairperson, Laboratory Quality Assurance and Accreditation Committee, of the PMH from January 2011 to present. She graduated from the Caribbean Health leadership Training – Cohort 5 Valedictorian [ in 2012 ]. She also sits as a Board member for the Strengthening of Laboratory Toward accreditation ( SLMTA) from 2012 to present.

She completed the Clinical Pastoral Education in 2012.   She is also the founder of Light in the Park Evangelistic Outreach Ministry, June 2015, and the Interim House of God “Counseling and Restoration Centre”.

Dr. Katy Yao

Dr. Katy Yao is an instructional designer and curriculum developer. Seeing a need for an effective management program, she conceptualized the task-based curriculum of the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) program to assist laboratory managers in implementing practical quality management systems in their laboratories. She then led a multi-agency development team to turn the program into a reality, and has overseen the global implementation of the program which has now spread to 1150 laboratories in 52 countries worldwide, and has helped 63 laboratories achieve accreditation to international standards.

Dr. Yao has masters and doctorate degrees in Instructional Systems Technology and is experienced in creating and deploying large-scale multi-national training programs to achieve impact in public health and other industries. She has extensive international experience in both private and public sectors with strong expertise in project management, needs assessment, curriculum development, training-of-trainers, evaluation, and implementation. She is a public health educator for the International Laboratory Branch in the Division of Global HIV/AIDS at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She received several awards for her work in SLMTA, including CDC’s Honor Award on Excellence in International Partnership and the Sheppard Award nominee.

Sibongile Zimuto

Sibongile Zimuto is the Executive Director of the Zimbabwe National Quality Assurance Programme (ZINQAP) Trust, a non-profit quality assurance services and accredited Proficiency Testing Provider. She qualified as a Medical Laboratory Scientist Specialising in Haematology and Blood Transfusion from the University of Zimbabwe in 1998 and worked as a laboratory scientist for the Ministry of Health before joining the Zimbabwe National Quality Assurance Programme (ZINQAP) as a laboratory scientist. At ZINQAP, she rose through the ranks and was appointed as the organisation’s Executive Director in 2006. Under her leadership, ZINQAP achieved numerous accolades, including attainment of accreditation to ISO 1743 and ZINQAP’s selection to serve as a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Regional Centre of Excellence in Quality Systems. She went to obtain a post graduate qualification in Quality Management. Mrs. Zimuto also serves as a consultant for international organisations such as WHO, ILAC and SADC, providing technical assistance in laboratory Sibongile was trained as SLMTA trainer in 2009 and was one of the first three to qualify as SLMTA Master Trainers in 2011. In 2015 she was one of the recipients of SLMTA Excellence in Partnership award. Mrs. Zimuto represents Zimbabwe on various technical committees relating to laboratory quality assurance and she contributed to the review and finalisation of the SLIPTA checklist.